President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy took part in a solemn sitting of the Verkhovna Rada on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the adoption of the Act of Independence of Ukraine.
"Ladies and Gentlemen! Many generations of Ukrainians have fought for these words to become a reality. Today we will say these words many times, we will hear these words, but we will never get tired of these words! Happy Independence Day of Ukraine! And congratulations on the 30th anniversary of its proclamation! My congratulations to all of you," the Head of State said at a solemn sitting of the parliament.
He noted that this date became possible thanks to the deputies of the first convocation, who are present in the session hall today, and thanked them with applause.
"It is especially symbolic that now they are applauded by the people's deputies of this convocation, who were not even born on August 24, 1991. Today I said that the restoration of Ukraine's independence took place on that important day. Restoration of statehood of Ukraine. I have signed a decree on the celebration of the Day of Ukrainian Statehood and I am submitting a draft law for your consideration, according to which it should be a day off," the President said.
The Head of State stressed that it is important not only to celebrate the emergence of statehood, but also to unite to preserve it.
The solemn sitting was also attended by Head of the President’s Office Andriy Yermak and First Assistant to the President Serhiy Shefir, people's deputies of Ukraine of the 1st and 9th convocations, Speakers of the Verkhovna Rada of previous convocations, the second, third and fifth Presidents of Ukraine, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, members of the government, heads of the judiciary.
Officials elected, appointed and approved by the Verkhovna Rada, heads of regional councils, Kyiv mayor, President of the National Academy of Sciences, church leaders and leaders of religious organizations of Ukraine, representatives of NGOs and mass media were also invited.
The solemn sitting of the parliament was also attended by distinguished foreign guests: President of the Senate of the Czech Republic Miloš Vystrčil, President of the National Council of the Swiss Confederation Andreas Aebi; parliamentary delegations of the Republic of Austria, the Republic of Azerbaijan, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Georgia, the Republic of Estonia, the Kingdom of Jordan, the Republic of Latvia, the Republic of Lithuania, the Federal Republic of Germany, the Republic of Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Turkey, France, the Czech Republic; delegations of the European Parliament and the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, the Ukrainian World Congress, heads of diplomatic missions of foreign states and heads of missions of international organizations accredited in Ukraine.
