05/14/2015 Ukraine: Daily Highlights - Deputy Minister of Economy Borovik was dismissed because of the conflict with the Prime Minister Yatsenyuk

First Deputy Minister of Economy Borovik was dismissed

05.14.2015 Daily Highlights  by the Digests & Analytics Ukraine News Agency

Topics from the Media and Social Networks

• The Verkhovna Rada failed the adoption of the government law on privatization.
• US Senator McCain refused to join the Ukrainian Council of  Reforms.
• First Deputy Minister of Economy Borovik was dismissed because of the conflict with the Prime Minister Yatsenyuk.
• Zuckerberg is willing to consider the possibility of Ukrainian self-moderation in the national segment of the Facebook.
• MPs are ready to consider the Interior Minister Avakov’s resignation

Key Events of Ukraine

• The deputies of the Verkhovna Rada adopted a law on the possibility of calling to military duty persons liable for military service after demobilization who were enrolled to the first priority operational reserve.
  Parliament adopted a law establishing the rights, duties and responsibilities of the co-owners of the apartment houses. According to the speaker Groisman, it will help to destroy the monopoly of public utilities service providers.
  According to the introduced changes to the Tax Code, religious organizations are exempt from paying tax on residential and non-residential property.
  The laws which are supposed to increase the level of social protection of war veterans and state support for the ATO members and their children were adopted.
  The Verkhovna Rada banned the early return of deposits, if it is not provided by the terms of the contract.
  The MPs introduced changes to the laws that strengthen the guarantees for legal professional activities of journalists, providing for responsibility for the violence, damage to their property, an attempt on their lives or taking them as hostages. There are compensations in case of injury or death of journalists while they are performing their professional duties.
  The deputies did not support the government proposed changes to the law on privatization of state enterprises, allowing to sell more than 300 state-owned objects.
  Prior to the anniversary of the deportation of Crimean Tatars, the MPs adopted an appeal to the international organizations to condemn the violation of the Crimean Tatars rights by the Russian invaders.
• The Cabinet addressed to the parliament a proposal to expand the powers of the Anti-Corruption Agency allowing it to conduct investigations regarding the officials submitting false tax returns.
• The Government approved a plan of infrastructure development of the state border with Russia, as well as areas adjacent to the Anti-Terrorist Operation area and the administrative border of the Crimea, the State Border Service will be responsible for the works coordination.
• The leader of the "Right Sector" Yarosh said that at the meeting with the law enforcement agencies leadership an agreement on joint actions and stress relief around the volunteer units was reached, as well as the draft law on Volunteer Ukrainian Corps was presented.
• EBRD worsened the forecast for the GDP decline in Ukraine in 2015, from 5 to 7.5%.
• The Ukrainian government has a month to normalize the relations with creditors before the next meeting of the IMF evaluation mission, scheduled for June, which is to decide on the allocation of the next tranche under the expanded crediting program.
• The official hryvnia exchange rate against the euro fell by 2%: 20.57 UAH/USD, 23.49 UAH/EUR (+0,41 UAH), 4.11 UAH/10 RUR. (-0.05 UAH).

Ukraine at War

• Militants move heavy weapons closer to the contact line and reinforce the shock troops with new and repaired armored vehicles. The shellings of the Ukrainian army  positions continue. During the day, four soldiers and several civilians were wounded. The surroundings of Donetsk and Gorlivka, Shyirokine, Stanitsa Luhanska, Schastye are remaining the flash points.
  The National Security and Defense Council confirms the high probability of the renewal of the militants offensive.
• According to the Commissioner for a peaceful settlement in the Donbass Gerashchenko, at least 1460 people are considered missing.
• Another Russian "convoy" invaded the territory of Ukraine.

Ukraine and the World

• Press service of the Facebook social network reported that its owner Zuckerberg would consider the request about the possibility of the moderation of the Ukrainian segment from Ukraine.
• Senator McCain refused to participate in the international advisory Council of Reforms under President Poroshenko, as it is forbidden by the US Constitution, but he is ready to assist Ukraine in the fight against the Russian aggression.
• The Supreme Allied Commander of NATO forces in Europe Breedlove said that the Donbass separatists, using the ceasefire, receive the reinforcements from Russia and expand the military might. Russian instructors conduct the training of the military personnel. All evidence prove that militants are preparing for offensive under the command of the Russian military.

The Trends

• The dismissal of the Deputy Economy Minister, Harvard graduate, Borovik, who recently received the Ukrainian citizenship, is caused by his disagreement with the Prime Minister Yatsenyuk. According to the experts, this dismissal may significantly worsen the investment image of Ukraine and show investors the government's reluctance to implement reforms.