Speakers

Iryna Gerashchenko

MP, First Deputy Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada (Ukraine)

Iryna Gerashchenko is the First Deputy Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. Prior to her election as the Deputy Speaker of the Parliament of Ukraine (from November 2014 to April 2016) she served as the Chairperson of the Committee on European Integration (Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine). As the Chairperson of the Committee, Ms. Gerashchenko has been working for the harmonization of Ukrainian legislation with the European norms and standards. This item remains her work priority in her capacity as the First Deputy Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.

Ms. Gerashchenko currently also serves as the President's Commissioner for peaceful situation resolution in the Donetsk and Luhansk region. Nominated as the President’s Commissioner in June 2014, she works to promote peaceful settlement of the conflict in the East of Ukraine and create conditions for the implementation of the President's plan for a peaceful solution of the conflict.

On May 2015, Ms. Gerashchenko was nominated by President as the representative of Ukraine in the Humanitarian Subgroup of the Trilateral Contact Group in order to resolve the situation in the East of Ukraine aimed at hostages-release and effective coordination of the humanitarian assistance efforts in the Donbas region.

Ms. Gerashchenko was first elected as Member of Parliament in 2007. She was reelected twice: in 2012 and in 2014. She also has more than 10 years of experience in journalism.

Ms. Gerashchenko holds a degree in journalism from the Taras Shevchenko State University of Kyiv. She also holds a Master’s degree in foreign policy and a degree in law.

MP, First Deputy Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada (Ukraine)