The Verkhovna Rada proposes allowing police to open Ukrainians’ parcels without their knowledge

The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine has proposed allowing police to open not only citizens’ correspondence but also their parcels without their knowledge.

A group of deputies, including Serhiy Ionushas, head of the Committee on Law Enforcement from the “Sluga Naroda” party, submitted the corresponding bill.

The card for the draft law, titled “On Amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine to Align Certain Provisions with the Law of Ukraine on Postal Services,” has been published on the parliament’s website.

According to the draft text, items can be inspected without citizens’ knowledge only after being seized based on a ruling by an investigating judge.

“The draft law also stipulates that managers and employees of postal service operators must provide conditions for conducting covert investigative (search) actions and not disclose the fact of their conduct or the information obtained,” the explanatory note states.

The need for this innovation is explained by the fact that certain provisions of the Criminal Procedure Code, which came into force in 2012, have not been revised since then.

At the end of November, members of parliament from the “Servant of the People” party introduced a bill in the Verkhovna Rada that could lead to an increase in the cost of funerals and ritual services.