14/10/2014 Ukraine: Daily Highlights - Verkhovna Rada adopted a package of anti-corruption laws

14/10/2014 Daily Highlights from “Digests & Analytics Ukraine” News Agency

Riots near the Parliament. Anti-corruption legislation package has been adopted. National Guards Commander Poltorak is the new Defense Minister. Marches dedicated to the anniversary of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army went on without excesses.

Ukraine

• Verkhovna Rada adopted a law on increasing of the criminal liability for violation of election law and for voter bribery.
  Also a package of anti-corruption legislation, introduced by the Government, has been adopted as well as an anti-corruption bureau has been created, introduced by the Government. According to the adopted legislation, 1) officials must fully disclose all sources of their income, 2) public access to the property ownership register will be provided and 3) companies will have to declare all their final beneficiaries. Structure and functions of the prosecutors office were changed by the new legislation. President Poroshenko declared readiness to sign the new legislative initiatives immediately.
• Thousands of people joned "Marches of Heroes", which took place in Kyiv, Kharkiv and Odessa. The marches were organized by volunteer battalions “Azov”, “The Right Sector”, and “Svoboda” party and dedicated to the anniversary of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UIA).
• Protesters engaged in a fight with police near Verkhovna Rada under the pretext of recognition of UIA fighters as a belligerent party. Police detained up to 50 persons accused of mass riots.
• National Council of Anti-corruption Policy, established by the President, will be a consultations and analytics body.
• National Guards Commander Poltorak has been approved by Verkhovna Rada as the new Defense Minister.
• Central Election Commission has asked Verkhovna Rada to legally regulate issues of the election in the Donbass combat zone.
  The process of revising of party lists with respect to inclusion and cancellation of registration of candidates for early elections to the Verkhovna Rada has been completed. Democratic forces have agreed on a single candidate in many districts.
• Vice Prime Minister Groysman said that the heating season in the Country will start on the 1st of November. However, the Government is ready to change the date if the weather conditions become unfavorable.  
• SSU declared that the National Guards protest near the Presidential Administration was organized by the Russian security services with the use of the social network "VKontakte", but mass riots have been prevented.
• NBU Head Gontareva believes that adoption of the anti-corruption legislation will make Ukraine more attractive for foreign investors. The IMF praised the actions of the National Bank to resolve the the currency crisis and believes that Ukraine is able to pay its foreign debts. According to the statement of the Minister of Finance Shlapak, the program of cooperation with the IMF does not require adjustments. Cash foreign currency reappeared at cash desks of major banks. The official exchange rate is established at the level of 12.95 UAH/USD, 16.42 UAH/EUR (+ 6 cop) and 3.21 UAH/10 RUR (-1 cop).
• Naftogas has filed a lawsuit against Gazprom with the Stockholm Arbitrage, aiming to ensure the current contract is in line with international and Ukrainian legislation, retrieve compensation of losses from the decline of supply volume and establish economically justified tariffs for the gas transit.

Kyiv

• Mayor Klichko approved a former top manager of companies, belonging to oligarch Yurushev, as the Head of Construction Department of the Kyiv Administration.

War in Ukraine

• Seven civillians were killed and seventeen wounded during artillery shelling by militants of the funeral procession in the suburbs of Mariupol. A day mourning has been announced in the city.
• Militants attacked Ukrainian Army checkpoint near Bakhmutka in Luhans’k region. Ukrainian military repelled another powerful assault of Donetsk International Airport and an attack of positions in Debaltseve.

International

• Russian President Putin in an interview to the Sebian newspaper "Politika" blamed Baltic states and Ukraine for the growth of neo-nazism, and claimed that an anti-constitutional coup took place in Ukraine in February.
• Secretary of State Kerry during negotiations have underlined to Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov the need to implement all the points of the Minsk memorandum as a condition of partial lifting of the sanctions and said the United States does not recognize any "referendums" and "elections" in the Donbass.
• Russian and Ukrainian Presidents have agreed on the topics of negotiations in Milan, which planned for 16-17th of October.
• Authorities of the annexed by Russia the Crimea have began a census, which, in the opinion of the indigenous people - the Crimean Tatars, is an instrument for preparing to deport them from the peninsula.
• Decisions by Katar and Saudi Arabia have led to oil prices drop on international markets of up to 4 USD per barrel.
• Gazprom profits shrunk by almost a quarter during first half of the year.

Trends

• Russian FSB intensively uses all functionality of social network “VKontakte”, which is under their control, for investigative and subversive activities.
• Combatants and members of the "right sector" for its demonstrations in major cities on the anniversary of the UPA have shown that they can independently and effectively monitor the implementation of events.
  Combatants and members of the “Right Sector” could fully and effectively control mass manifestations. They clearly demostrated this at their actions in major cities, dedicated to the anniversary of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army.