[EXPROPRIATION OF KYIV’S TRADE UNION HOUSE] Speeches in the Verkhovna Rada

Verkhovna Rada speeches on expropriation of Trade Union House (edited machine translations)

June 20, 2025

Serhiy Vlasenko, Batkivshchyna faction

I have a question for the Prime Minister of Ukraine. Dear Prime Minister, yesterday the Trade Union of Defenders of Ukraine blocked the government building, which, in our opinion, ARMA transferred in a corrupt manner... The trade union building, excuse me. The trade union building, which, in our opinion, ARMA transferred to a commercial structure in a corrupt manner.

Mr Prime Minister, our question is: when will the government respond to the events taking place at ARMA? Mass transfers of property to corrupt entities, including the trade union building.

Next. We ask the government to consider the possibility of terminating all corrupt agreements concluded by ARMA on all properties, and first and foremost on the Trade Union House. Yes, we know that there were certain violations during the lease, but this does not mean that these agreements are not corrupt.

And thirdly, we ask you to consider dismissing the ARMA leadership and transferring the management of this building back to the trade unions.

SHMYGAL D.A. Thank you for your question. I will begin by expressing my gratitude to the Ukrainian parliament for voting on the bill on the reform of ARMA. It has been passed, and we are waiting for it to be signed by the Speaker of our parliament, then signed by the President, and then it will come into force. This law will truly reform ARMA as a body, particularly in terms of state property management. The bill is really good, and I would like to thank the parliament once again. As soon as this law enables the government to influence and work together with ARMA to bring order to the management of state property, let's return to this conversation, and then we will have the tools we need. For now, we are still waiting for this law to be signed and come into force.

Thank you.

June 19, 2025

Yulia Tymoshenko, Batkivshchyna faction (see video here)

Dear friends, at 10:30 a.m., a protest action began at the Trade Union House by the All-Ukrainian Trade Union of Defenders of Ukraine in connection with the fact that the trade unions' central building on Khreshchatyk was rudely and brazenly seized. Can you imagine, they took it away through a rigged court decision, handed it over to ARMA (they took it away from the trade unions, do you understand?), handed it over to ARMA, and ARMA handed over the entire building on Khreshchatyk to the husband of the Deputy Prime Minister. Is that normal? And now they are in charge, they have kicked all the all-Ukrainian trade unions out of their premises and, in essence, left not only all trade union organisations on the street, but also the All-Ukrainian Trade Union of Defenders of Ukraine.

I think this is unprecedented. You understand that trade unions are not just a name, they are a state institution which, throughout the world and in every democratic state, occupies a very strong and decisive position in protecting the rights of working people. And today, in our country, which is joining the European Union and is obliged to be democratic, to abandon the tripartite system and social dialogue, the trade unions have had their historic building on Maidan taken away and given to the husband of some temporary deputy prime minister. I want to ask, when did we sink to such corruption?

That is why our team is now, first of all, supporting the action being carried out by the All-Ukrainian Trade Union of Defenders of Ukraine. Secondly, we demand that the Prime Minister legally dismantle this corrupt scheme and take back the Trade Union House, which is now the headquarters of all trade unions in Ukraine, from the deputy prime minister's husband and return it to the Federation of Trade Unions of Ukraine. Just as it has always been. And to refrain from doing such things in the future.

In general, I would like to draw your attention to the fact that in recent years there has been a systematic destruction of the trade union movement in Ukraine and its replacement with pocket unions, hastily created structures that have nothing in common with real trade unions.

That is why we are demanding immediate action from the Prime Minister and the Cabinet of Ministers today, and we will continue to do so tomorrow. Immediately...