220. In connection with that issue, members of the Committee wished to know what progress had been achieved in establishing the basis for and regulation of public associations or organieations, including political parties other than the Communist Party of the Soviet Union : whether there had been any further progress in drafting legislation that would provide a framework for whether all political parties had the legalieation of informal organi6ations; been allowed to register in time to put forward their candidates; whether the provision in the Ukrainian Constitution according to which the aim of associations was the construction of socialism had been ameuded; what condition6 had to be met for a demonstration to be permitted: what penalties were prescribed in cases of contravention of the established procedure for the organieation and conduct of assemblies i whether a meeting could be prohibited on the grounds that it was contrary to the Constitution of another Federative Republic8 and whether investigations had been undertaken into the conduct of the police forces in dispersing students in October 1989, 221. In his reply, the representative of the State party said that, in addition to the Communist Party, the Republican Party, the Social Democratic Party, the Green Party and two Christian parties currently sat in Parliament. The legislation that continued to regulate the registration of social organieations dated back to the 19306 and had obviously become obsolete, but a new law on social organizations would enter into force on 1 January 1991. The activities of organieations could not give rise to any interference on the part of public authorities save in case6 authori6ed by law, Electoral campaigns were financed directly by the State. Where an application for registration by a party or an organieation had been rejected, it was possible to bring the matter before the courts, which might possibly reverse the decision. Organieations could not be dissolved by the State unless their activities were harmful. 222. Permission was not needed for indoor meetings but it was necessary to apply for permission in other ca6e6, and penalties could be assessed when a meeting was held without such permission. In each region, a representative of the authorities and an executive committee were responsible for decisions as to whether to allow public meetings and demonstrations. Meeting6 could be prohibited only if their purpose was contrary to the Constitution and if there was a danger of disturbance of public order, and such decisions could be appealed before a superior body. The Office of the Procurator had recently conducted an investigation into the conduct of law enforcement officials on the occasion of action to prevent demonstrators from entering police premises, and it had concluded that the behaviour of the police had ngt been reprehensible. 223. With reference to that issue, members of the Committee wished to know whether any institutional measures were envisaged by the Government of the Ukrainian SSR to deal on a systematic basis with the problems of minorities and with the promotion of progress and reconciliation among the various national groups. -54-