Protest and Speeches in the Verkhovna Rada – Ukrainian Parliament

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.

Trade Union House – rally in defence of labour rights and trade union rights

This peaceful gathering was aimed at finding a fair solution to the issue of the Trade Union House, which had been seized by the private company KAMparitet. The participants demanded that the building be returned to its rightful owner, the Federation of Trade Unions of Ukraine.

They held banners reading: ‘The truth is with us, Hands off people’s property, Give us back what is ours, President, listen to the trade unions, Respect the military.’

A large number of police were present at the scene. Repeated attempts by employees to get to their workplaces were in vain, as the new security guards in the building, protected by the police, did not respond in any way.

A significant number of people who came to the walls of the building were members of the All-Ukrainian Trade Union of Defenders of Ukraine, athletes and workers from various sectors. These are military personnel, veterans, and soldiers with combat injuries and disabilities.

In the absence of an office, they sat on the steps on the backs of their comrades, wrote applications for financial assistance, and expressed their outrage that, despite their self-sacrifice for the country, they were left unable to do their jobs without access to their workplace.

The participants held an impromptu rally near the central entrance on the steps of the Trade Union House, where speeches were made by FPU Deputy Chairman Yevgen Drapyaty, Serhiy Byzov, chairman of the All-Ukrainian Trade Union of Defenders of Ukraine, Athletes and Workers, Nataliya Zemlyanska, chairwoman of the All-Ukrainian Trade Union of Industrial Workers and Entrepreneurs of Ukraine, Nadiya Korinna, chairwoman of the All-Ukrainian Trade Union of Lawyers of Ukraine, and workers who were unable to get to their workplaces.

The speakers expressed their outrage at the actions of the ARMA, the forceful seizure of the building by the company ‘KAMparitet,’ and the violation of the constitutional rights of trade unions and workers. The protesters called for an immediate end to the illegal actions against the Trade Union House and for the restoration of free access to the building.

Racketeering in the trade union building

June 12 statement by Social Movement (edited machine translation) On 6 June, events took place at the Trade Union House in Kyiv that can hardly be called normal for a state governed by the rule of law. In the morning, representatives of ARMA (the The National Agency of Ukraine for Finding, Tracing and Managing Assets Derived from Corruption and Other Crimes — ed.) broke into the building together with employees of the newly appointed ‘property manager’ — the UK KAMparitet consortium.

This company is involved in a high-profile corruption investigation, which proves the connection between the new owners of the assets and Minister of Justice Stefaniishyna. In less than a year, KAMparitet won four tenders for the management of seized property — more than a third of all tenders held by ARMA.

Employees of the Federation of Trade Unions of Ukraine were given an ultimatum: either sign contracts with the new manager within three days or leave the premises. Access to workplaces was blocked by unknown individuals of athletic build. People who went out for a break were not even allowed to retrieve their personal belongings. Journalists were only allowed in after prolonged resistance.

Trade union activist Natalia Zemlyanska was also injured — she was pushed, fell and injured her leg. Soon after, MP Serhiy Rudyk, who has a public reception office here, arrived at the building. He was also initially denied entry.

The events at the Trade Union House once again raise the question of who is actually in charge of the seized property in the country and in whose interests they are acting. In addition to clear signs of raiding, the Social Movement considers this to be political pressure on trade union representation and another alarming sign of increasing repression against organised labour initiatives. Attention FPU activists!

We are ready to provide you with assistance that will allow you to continue the fight to defend the labour rights of working people.

Backgrounder (Ukrainska Pravda): How seized assets are transferred to people associated with Minister Stefaniishyna

Mikhail Tkach — Wednesday, 4 June 2025 (edited machine translation) The National Agency of Ukraine for Finding, Tracing and Managing Assets Derived from Corruption and Other Crimes (ARMA) was established ten years ago, back in 2015. The extraordinary level of corruption in Ukraine, as well as Russian armed aggression, have led to the seizure of dozens and hundreds of valuable enterprises, factories, buildings and even yachts.

It is obvious that activities such as those carried out by ARMA are fraught with numerous corruption risks. Many individuals have a vested interest in the ‘correct’ redistribution of property.

For many years now, society has been demanding transparency from the agency and reform of the management of seized assets to prevent them from passing from one corrupt official to another (or even to the same ones through front men). After all, all corrupt and Russian assets can and must be used to fill the state budget with billions of hryvnias. As a result, the justice that politicians have long dreamed of and praised in their speeches can be established. But for some reason, this has not happened yet.

The activities of ARMA attracted the attention of Ukrainska Pravda in March this year. At that time, the agency identified the company that would manage a ‘landmark (as stated on the official website) for the capital’ – the Trade Union House on Independence Square.

We managed to find out that this new manager may be linked to the family of the Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine, Minister of Justice Olha Stefanishyna.

The Trade Union House is now the fourth valuable asset that, by coincidence or not, has been acquired by the same company.

Details are available in our new investigation.

Ukraine: ITUC condemns fresh attempt to obstruct trade union activities

June 7, 2025

On June 5, government agents accompanied by private security personnel entered the Trade Union House without warning and ordered FPU [Federation of Trade Unions of Ukraine] staff to leave immediately. They took control of the building and blocked further access, significantly disrupting the work of the union.

This latest move follows earlier attacks on the trade union movement in Ukraine, including the arrest of FPU President Grygorii Osovyi. The continued interference in the legitimate work of the FPU reflects a broader pattern of pressure on trade unions.

ITUC General Secretary Luc Triangle said: “This is a clear and unacceptable attempt to block the legitimate activities of the FPU. The Ukrainian government must immediately end these attacks, respect trade union rights and restore the conditions for unions to carry out their work without interference, in line with its national and international obligations.”