Ukrainian government proposes repealing all Soviet laws

The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine approved and sent to the Supreme Council of Ukraine a bill to repeal the laws and other legislative acts which were adopted during the Soviet era. This decision was made at a government meeting on Wednesday, April 12th.

Minister of Justice Pavel Petrenko noted that this involves more than a hundred Soviet regulatory acts. “There are still a lot of laws on the books from the Soviet era…which create barriers for Ukrainian citizens and businesses. Therefore, the Ministry of Justice developed a bill to repeal the legislation of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic and the USSR,” said the Minister.

If the bill is passed by the Supreme Council of Ukraine, within six months all acts of subordinate entities – ministries, departments, presidiums and commissions – which were adopted before August 24, 1991 will no longer be in force. And within a year after the law goes into effect, the laws of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic and the USSR will no longer be in force. Within three years all the codified laws of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic which are still in force in Ukraine will be terminated.

Petrenko stressed that the bill does not include the abolition of international agreements that were signed and ratified before Ukraine gained its independence. The Minister expects the bill to be passed in May.

  Ukraine, Soviet laws

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