At Least 10 MPs Left Ukraine Before War - Stefanchuk

Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Ruslan Stefanchuk says that at least 10 Members of Parliament left Ukraine before the war.

He said this in an interview with Ukrainska Pravda, Ukrainian News Agency reports.

"When we talk about the issue of the stay of MPs abroad, we must distinguish between some things. There may be MPs abroad who fled the country in a timely manner ... It seems to me that more than ten MPs (left Ukraine intentionally before the start of the war)," the head of parliament said.

Stefanchuk noted that they knew about the war and made their civilian choice.

"It seems to me that in the future these people should not be in Ukrainian politics. Never. Because people who left at the most difficult moment for the state are for me personally equated with traitors to the Motherland," the speaker said.

The head of the Verkhovna Rada periodically asks the head of the State Border Guard Service to give him lists of MPs who crossed the border, as this is necessary in order to really see the picture.

"This is unofficial information. It cannot be provided officially. I just need it so that we understand the issues of payments and charges inside. Now we are voting on laws with the display turned off. Such was the agreement that in wartime we should vote in this way. But we need to somehow calculate salaries, so the staff and I receive such information so that those who are abroad, this salary is not accrued," he explained.

Stefanchuk recalled that a law was previously adopted, according to which, if MP is absent from 70% of plenary sessions, he does not receive a salary.

As Ukrainian News Agency reported, on March 13, First Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Oleksandr Korniyenko said that 20 MPs were abroad, among them were those who were abroad on a working visit and eventually returned.