Specially for the Ukrainska Pravda
In 2012, the State Administrative Office of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine has lost almost 1.5 million UAH on equipment for Parliamentary activities. Lion's share of the total amount, particularly 875 thousand UAH, was spent on Grafit - VR12 speech recognition system. This system was to be used for making verbatim records of MP's statements.
What is Grafit - VR12 and why is it necessary?
Obligation to keep verbatim records of MP's statements is determined by the law. According to the Law on Committees of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine"Minutes and verbatim record of the Committee are official documents, which prove the discussion process and decision making, opinion and recommendations of the Committee.". The Law on the Rules of Procedure of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine contains similar regulation.
In general, speech recognition system should have secured verbatim record of plenary sittings of the Verkhovna Rada, as well as meetings of the Conciliation Board of parliamentary factions, Committees, temporary special and investigation commissions.
Technically, Grafit - VR12 speech recognition system consists of almost 30 automated workplaces, several servers, blocks, and network equipment. The most expensive part of the system is software, which had cost taxpayers 250 thousand UAH. It was developed by the RPE (Research and Production Enterprise) Omega LLC.
According to the Visnyk Derzhanvnyh Zakupivel information bulletin, this company had won the tender on updating the automated stenography system in the Verkhovna Rada in 2012. However, nobody else participated in the contest. The Grafit system was updated in 1994, 1999, and 2004.
Keeping verbatim records of VRU Committees
According to the Apparatus of the Verkhovna Rada, 20 of 29 committees keep verbatim records of their meetings. The Law of Ukraine on Access to Public Information provides that documents which contain socially important data shall be published by government bodies on their official sites. Still, only the Committee on Freedom of Speech and Information and the Committee on Culture and Spirituality are regularly publishing verbatim records in Internet.
Another 9 Committees doesn't keep verbatim records of meetings, what is a violation of the Article 51(1) of the Law on Committees of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, which provides that proceedings and verbatim records shall be kept on every sitting of the Committee.
According to Andrii Pyshnyi, the First Deputy Head of the Committee on Rules of Parliamentary Procedure, Ethics and Support to Work of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, the problem is in the Secretariat, which failed to fulfill its duties. However, way out may be found if members of a committee are willing to improve the situation. For example, the Committee on Rules of Parliamentary Procedure has taken a decision to shift some responsibilities to the Apparatus of the Verkhovna Rada. Thus, the Secretariat will provide verbatim records, and employees of the Apparatus will interpret and finalize it.
Temporary special and investigation commissions in the Parliament don't keep verbatim records of their meetings.
Andrii Pyshnyi has also stated: "We are trying to get verbatim records of this year's meetings of the Committee on Rules of Parliamentary Procedure. However, instead verbatim records, which shall be kept, the Secretariat provides proceedings, – complained the MP on the latest meeting of the Committee on April 17. – Therefore, in order to help the Secretariat, this issue was discussed with the Apparatus and, providing audio recordings are present, the Apparatus of the Verkhovna Rada will be responsible for keeping verbatim records of the Committee on Rules of Parliamentary Procedure."
Temporary special and investigation commissions in the Parliament don't keep verbatim records of their meetings. Only one temporary investigation commission on reconsideration of voting results during 2012 Parliamentary elections was created by MPs of the current convocation.
However, this body couldn't start working because MPs from the Party of Regions, which constitute the majority in this commission, are ignoring the meetings. Therefore, there is no need to use a speech recognition system costing almost a million UAH.
Analysis of adherence to legislative requirements regarding verbatim records of Committees of the Verkhovna Rada of VII convocation
Keeping verbatim records of VRU sittings
Using speech recognition system on plenary sittings of the Verkhovna Rada would more than rational. In contrast to the committees and temporary investigation commissions, verbatim records of VRU sittings are published on the official site of the Parliament. Starting from 1st session of I convocation, speeches of MPs are available for citizens. The site contains even a verbatim record of a meeting, held by the majority on Bankova St. on April 4.
Besides recording of speeches on plenary sittings, the Grafit - VR12 system provides correction of unsuccessful speeches of MPs. Such possibility is provided by the Law on the Rules of Procedure of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. According to the Article 55 (2) of this Law, "Verbatim record of plenary sittings of the Verkhovna Rada shall be published unedited on the official site of the Verkhovna Rada not later that the next day the plenary sitting takes place, and edited and signed by Chairman of the Apparatus of the Verkhovna Rada during the following week. During this period, MPs may submit any remarks on inaccuracies in verbatim record of plenary sitting."
How is this provision implemented?
On March 22, the Minister of Social Policy Nataliia Korolevska was speaking on plenary sitting, and her speech was like a mixture of Russian and Ukrainian words with a lot of lexical and grammatical errors (the recording was broadcasted on the 5th Channel.)
Edited verbatim record, which was published on the site of the Verkhovna Rada, also could be better. Literal translation of it is given below, and original text you may find on Ukrainian version of the site.
"If you concertize your question, maybe it's about food for cats or puppies, which are on the border today and urgently need to be placed. Because somebody's cats and puppies cannot buy in cat's shops. Therefore, dear People's Deputies, humanitarian loads will be delivered. Contraband will not be brought to Ukraine as humanitarian goods."
Roman Martyn, Yurii Mochaiev, Civil Network OPORA specially for the Ukrainska Pravda