Donetsk, Nov 19 - DAN. The 2nd Donetsk People’s Republic parliament deputies began to perform their duties on Monday as they swore a loyalty oath to the DPR people and held the first session to decide on work procedure issues.

The parliament set up a commission on procedure, registered the deputies' factions, elected the speaker and his deputy and appointed the coordinating commtitee and the committee on ethics, procedure and work management.

At the November 11 parliamentary election, 58 new MPs were elected including former candidates for the Head of the Republic Yelena Shishkina and Vladimir Medvedev, Trade Union Federation chairman Maxim Parshin and “New Life” Donetsk Disabled People’s Organisation chairman Yaroslav Lisobei.

Parliamentarians shared their work plans with the Donetsk News Agency.

“The first thing we’d like to accomplish is to check legislation and bring everything in conformity with the DPR Constitution, amend the law on the migration service relevant to resettles and adopt the Housing Code,” Free Donbass deputy Vladimir Medvedev said.

Yelena Shishkina called for strengthening social guarantees. “The cessation of hostilities has to be a key objective in the years to come. The parliament is expected to work productively for the good of the people,” Shishkina said.

“In my person, the Republic’s parliament represents the disabled people, and we’ll lobby their interests and defend their rights when drawing the social sphere legislation. I would like to give a status to DPR disabled people’s social movements at the legislative level,” Yaroslav Lisobei said. “It’s the key and painful problem which has been acute for four years since the beginning of the war.”

Trade Union Federation chairman Maxim Parshin promised to defend workers’ rights in parliament. “We have to adopt the labour Code and collective agreement-based regulations for social and labour relations,” Parshin said.

Parliament speaker Vladimir Bidyovka said that the fight against corruption, economic development and assistance to small and medium-sized business would be the lawmakers’ key objectives.

DPR residents elected the new Head of the Republic and the parliament on November 11. The Donetsk Republic and Free Donbass social movements won 74 and 26 seats in parliament respectively. On Monday, the parliamentarians met in the Government House Conference Hall to swear an oath of loyalty to the DPR people and hold the first session.*jk