KYIV – With 316 votes on December 17, Ukraine’s Parliament backed a law on the state recognition of Plast – National Scout Organization of Ukraine. This is the second affirmative vote on the legislation. On May 30, 2019, members of the previous convocation of the Verkhovna Rada had voted in favor of the earlier edition of this bill. But then, after more than three months, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy rejected the law and returned it to the Verkhovna Rada with his remarks.
Now, after the Verkhovna Rada’s Youth Committee backed the second edition with Mr. Zelenskyy’s remarks and the Rada voted to approve the law, it is up to the president to sign and enact the law on state support of Plast.
For 23 years now, Plast scouts have brought the Bethlehem Peace Light to Ukraine and spread this symbolic fire throughout the entire country. They share it with Ukrainian soldiers in the east, people in hospitals and orphanages, churches. They organize public events and share the Peace Light with the people of Ukraine, and they also bring it to Ukraine’s officials. Plastuny have also brought the Peace Light to the Verkhovna Rada for five years in a row, and this year was no exception.