Ukrainian Weekly Highlights March 14-20, 2016

Ukrainian Weekly Highlights March 14-20, 2016 from Digests & Analytics Ukraine

The Verkhovna Rada wants to change the Parliament regulations – Hryvnia is still unstable – the Constitutional Court allowed the Parliament to change the Constitution at any time – Cybersecurity strategy – Government crisis continues – State-owned companies operate inefficiently – Crackdown of LGBT festival in Lviv – Criminal amber business – Anniversary of the Russian annexation of Crimea – Hopes for a visa-free regime – Sanctions and the Savchenko list – Withdrawal of the Russian troops from Syria and war in Donbas

Ukraine: Weekly Highlights February 22–28, 2016

Ukrainian Weekly Highlights February 22–28, 2016 from Digests & Analytics Ukraine

The Parliamentary coalition does not exist, does it? - The President's team is trying to remove the Prime Minister from the post - The scandal with the publication of the National Security and Defense Council meeting protocol - Visa-free regime is under threat - The NBU is barely managing to prevent the hryvnia exchange rate from falling- Protest rally in the Maidan is oven - The Prosecutor's Office does not want to get reformed - POWs and hostages exchange with the "republics" is unblocked - Ukraine extends its cooperation with NATO - The second anniversary of the occupation of the Crimea

01/29/2016 Ukraine: Daily Highlights -Constitutional Court will consider amendments to the Constitution during the weekend

Constitutional Court will consider amendments to the Constitution during the weekend

01.29.2016 Daily Highlights by the Digests & Analytics Ukraine

Topics from Media and Social Networks

• Constitutional Court will consider amendments to the Constitution during the weekend.
• Experts called the Minsk Agreement null and void and urged to legislatively recognize Russia to be aggressor and to set up a new format of negotiations.
• Ukraine commemorated the Heroes of Kruty.
• Monument to one of the initiators of the Holodomor Petrovskiy was demolished in Dnipropetrovsk.

01/21/2016 Ukraine: Daily Highlights - The European Parliament approved the introduction of a visa-free regime for Ukraineм

The European Parliament approved the introduction of a visa-free regime for Ukraine

01.21.2016 Daily Highlights by the Digests & Analytics Ukraine

Topics from Media and Social Networks

• The European Parliament approved the introduction of a visa-free regime for Ukraine.
• The Army might begin the transition to NATO standards in February.
• Poroshenko believes that Ukraine would receive an IMF tranche next month.
• Head of the Anti-Corruption Bureau Sytnyk denied media reports that the US is to allocate $1 billion to Ukraine in exchange for the resignation of Prosecutor General Shokin.

01/09/2016 Ukraine: Daily Highlights -The EU Council will make a decision on introduction of a visa-free regime for Ukraine in March or in June

The EU Council will make a decision on introduction of a visa-free regime for Ukraine in March or in June

01.09.2016 Daily Highlights by the Digests & Analytics Ukraine

Topics from Media and Social Networks

• The EU Council will make a decision on introduction of a visa-free regime for Ukraine in March or in June.
• One of the  militant commanders was killed in Donetsk.

01/05/2016 Ukraine: Daily Highlights - Major General Lunev was appointed the Commander of the Special Operations Forces

Major General Lunev was appointed the Commander of the SOF

01.05.2016 Daily Highlights by the Digests & Analytics Ukraine

Topics from Media and Social Networks

• Major General Lunev was appointed the Commander of the Special Operations Forces
• Ukraine opens a "Silk Road" from China to Europe, bypassing Russia.
• The US multinational companies consider Crimea a part of Russia.
• The Head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate said that the Crimea "fell off from Ukraine itself".

01/04/2016 Ukraine: Daily Highlights - Visa-free regime with the EU is at risk for Ukraine due to changes in the text of the Budget Law

Visa-free regime with the EU is at risk for Ukraine due to changes in the text of the Budget Law

04.01.2015 Daily Highlights by the Digests & Analytics Ukraine

Topics from Media and Social Networks

• Visa-free regime with the EU is at risk for Ukraine due to changes in the text of the Budget Law.
• Interior Minister Arsen Avakov offered to dismiss all the judges and recruit new ones on a competitive basis.
• "Appeal of the Genichesk Mayor to Russian President Putin".
• The Head of the Russian GRU (General Staff Intelligence Agency)  suddenly died in Russia.

12/18/2015 Ukraine: Daily Highlights - Ukraine will get a visa-free regime with the EU in 2016

Ukraine will get a visa-free regime with the EU in 2016

12.18.2015 Daily Highlights by the Digests & Analytics Ukraine Agency

Topics from Media and Social Networks

• Ukraine will get a visa-free regime with the EU in 2016
• A moratorium on the repayment of  "Yanukovych debt" to Russia was introduced
• A report on war crimes of the Russian military and mercenaries in the Donbass was published

11/20/2015 Ukraine: Daily Highlights - All the EU countries ratified the Association Agreement with Ukraine

All the EU countries ratified the Association Agreement with Ukraine

11.20.2015 Daily Highlights by the Digests & Analytics Ukraine Agency

Topics from Media and Social Networks

• All the EU countries ratified the Association Agreement with Ukraine.
• Pope Francis is to visit Ukraine.
• Transmission tower supports were blown on the border with the Crimea.
• The Prosecutor’s Office conducted searches at the Odessa portside plant.
• Ukroboronprom and the Ministry of Defense denied the sale of the weapons to the ISIS militants.

Key Events in Ukraine

• Civil activists, protesting against the announcement of Vilkul a Mayor of Kryvyi Rih, mounted tents in front of the City Council. The CEC considers Vilkul a legitimately elected Mayor, despite the protests and pending lawsuits .
• The Ministry of Internal Affairs announced about installation of checkpoints for the documents verification  and personal inspections in the center of Kyiv on November 21-22, during the celebration of the Day of Dignity and Freedom. Police Head explain such measures by the requirements of public safety.
• The Interior Ministry and the General Prosecutor's Office Heads canceled a joint press conference where they had to report on investigation conducted by the law enforcement agencies on crimes against the activists of the Maidan.
• The IMF mission completed another stage of work in Ukraine and is looking forward to the adoption by the Parliament of the  budget and conduct of the tax reform. The Head of the Mission said that Ukraine needs stable measures to expand the tax base and to optimie the costs.
• The World Bank and the PWC auditing company  issued a rating of the tax burden on businesses in different countries. Ukraine ranked it 107th among 189 countries. The level of the tax burden in the country is 52.2% compared to the world’s average of 40.8%.
• The Moody's Ratings agency believes that next year Ukraine's economy could grow by 2%, in case of performing of real reforms.
• The National Bank sold more than $ 21 million during the currency auction, but the demand for it did not decrease. The hryvnia exchange rate once again decreased, on the interbank market it was lower than  24 UAH/USD. Official exchange rates were set to 23,98 ₴/$ (+0,14 UAH), 25,63 ₴/€ (+0,16 UAH), 3,70 ₴/10 ₽ (+0,03 UAH). Foreign currency keeps getting more expensive in exchange offices.

Ukraine at War

• According to official reports, over the past day in the combat zone in the Donbass one soldier was wounded . At night, militants fired at Marinka, Krasnogorovka and Novotroitsk with mortars and small arms . At day, Shyrokino and Pavlopol were under the mortar attack . The OSCE monitoring mission informs about significant increase of the number of ceasefire violations in the east of Ukraine. According to intelligence reports, the Russian army and militants continue to prepare for the offensive. The armed forces of the unrecognized republics were inspected by one of the leaders of the General Staff of the Russian Federation, who awarded Russian servicemen, fighting in Ukraine.
• On the border with the occupied Crimea, two of the four power lines supports, through  which electricity is supplied to the peninsula, were blown. The SBU has identified the suspects, and intends to turn to the National Security Council for the protection of an energy corridor to the  Crimea. The Crimean Tatars demand from the Government to start an energy blockade of the peninsula, but Energy Minister Demchishin once again confirmed the implementation of the contract for the supply.
• The General Staff is planning the seventh wave of mobilization for March 2016.

Ukraine and the World

• European Commissioner Hahn confirmed the fulfillment by Ukraine of the requirements of the Action Plan on visa liberalization with the EU. Report on the implementation of the plan will be announced in mid-December 2015.
• The Administration of President Poroshenko said that all the EU countries ratified an Association Agreement with Ukraine. The last countries to ratify the agreement were Greece and Belgium. The Netherlands will hold a referendum on the issue , the results of which will not be binding.
• The Press Service of President Poroshenko claimed  that Pope Francis agreed to visit Ukraine and endorsed the Minsk Agreement.
• Ukraine's Foreign Ministry condemned the visit to the occupied territory of the Donbass of two Bundestag deputies without the consent of the Ukrainian leadership.
• The UN Security Council adopted a resolution on the fight against the terrorist Islamic state, proposed by France. The Council called on the UN member states to redouble their efforts to prevent the terrorist attacks, to stop the financing of terrorism and to prevent the travel of militants to Iraq and Syria.
• Belgian authorities, during the operation to investigate the terrorist attacks in the capital, declared the highest level of terrorist threat. The EU introduces a strengthened border control at the borders of the Schengen area, including the checks of their own citizens.
• In Mali, a large-scale terrorist act was committed. The militants, who declared themselves the members of the al-Qaeda terrorist group , captured hostages in a major international hotel. SWAT took the hotel by assault . According to press reports, more than 20 people were killed , including several militants. The authorities of Mali introduced  a 10-day state of emergency in the country .
• European media reported that at the meeting of NATO in December, Montenegro will receive an offer to join the Alliance.

The Trends

• Public activists are outraged by the actions of the Kiev leadership of the National Police, which introduces the enhanced check measures during the mass events on the anniversary of the events on the Maidan. According to experts, such actions are allowed only in the case of a declared state of emergency in the capital or the anti-terrorist operation mode only according to the court order.
• Refusal of the Interior Ministry and General Prosecutor's Office ledership to report on the investigation of the crimes on the Maidan, in the opinion of civil society and lawyers of the "Heavenly hundred", demonstrates the interest of the authorities in the collapse of the criminal cases against those responsible for the persecution and murders of the activists.
• Deputy Chairman of the SBU Trepak said that he resigned due to disagreement with the actions of the prosecutors who are being covered by General Prosecutor Shokin. The main reason for the conflict between the Security Service and the General Prosecutor 's Office, according to him, is strong control over the actions of the operatives. Such system was incorporated in the amended Code of the Criminal Procedure , prepared by former deputy head of the Presidential Administration Portnov during the time of President Yanukovych. According to Trepak, the Prosecutor's Office is the source of the leak of confidential information and the country's leadership is interested in maintaining the current system, because with the help of the Prosecutor's Office it can control the entire power structure.
• The searches at the Odessa port plant are being conducted  as a part of the investigation into the theft of more than USD 4 billion from the  budget. Chairman of the Odessa Regional State Administration Saakashvili accused the Prime Minister Yatsenyuk of covering of corruption schemes of natural gas supplies, which are under deputy of the Popular Front Martynenko’s control. Currently, investigations against Martynenko are carried out by the prosecutors of Switzerland and the Czech Republic.

11/13/2015 Ukraine: Daily Highlights - Bloody terrorist attacks in Paris

 Bloody terrorist attacks in Paris

11.13.2015 Daily Highlights by the Digests & Analytics Ukraine Agency

Topics from Media and Social Networks

• Bloody terrorist attacks in Paris.
• Ukraine has completed the restructuring of a part of its state debt.
• Ukrainian helicopter with illegal migrants fell in Slovakia.
• Explosions in Uzhgorod are investigated as a terrorist attack.
• Yarosh said that he remains the commander of the Volunteer Corps of the Right Sector.

11/12/2015 Ukraine: Daily Highlights - The International Criminal Court did not recognize the events on the Maidan as a crime against humanity

The ICC did not recognize the events on the Maidan as a crime against humanity

11.12.2015 Daily Highlights by the Digests & Analytics Ukraine Agency

Topics from Media and Social Networks

• The International Criminal Court did not recognize the events on the Maidan as a crime against humanity.
• The Verkhovna Rada on the fourth try adopted the anti-discrimination amendment to the Labour Code.
• Deportation of the Crimean Tatars was recognized as a genocide.
• Scandalous cafe in the burnt House of Trade Unions on the Maidan was closed.
• Poroshenko awarded financier Soros with the Order of Liberty.

11/10/2015 Ukraine: Daily Highlights - Verkhovna Rada adopted the laws needed for introduction of a visa-free regime with the EU

Verkhovna Rada adopted the laws needed for introduction of a visa-free regime with the EU

11.10.2015 Daily Highlights by the Digests & Analytics Ukraine Agency

Topics from Media and Social Networks

• The Verkhovna Rada adopted the laws needed for introduction of a visa-free regime with the EU.
• Equal Rights Amendment for LGBT was rejected.
• Singer Ognevich abandoned the deputy mandate.
• Number of militants provocations increase in the Donbass.

11/09/2015 Ukraine: Daily Highlights - EU Commissioner for Foreign Affairs Mogherini visited Kyiv

EU Commissioner for Foreign Affairs Mogherini visited Kyiv

09.11.2015 Daily Highlights by the Digests & Analytics Ukraine Agency

Topics from Media and Social Networks

• EU Commissioner for Foreign Affairs Mogherini visited Kyiv.
• Situation in the conflict area in Donbas continues to deteriorate.
• Former Justice Minister Lukash released under bail for house arrest.
• Final results of the local elections have not yet been announced.

11/05/2015 Ukraine: Daily Highlights - Verkhovna Rada failed to vote on the "visa-free package" of laws

Verkhovna Rada failed to vote on the "visa-free package" of laws

11.05.2015 Daily Highlights by the Digests & Analytics Ukraine Agency

Topics from Media and Social Networks

• Verkhovna Rada failed to vote on the "visa-free package" of laws.
• The leader of UKROP party was imposed a pre-trial restraint in the form of house arrest.
• Former Justice Minister Lukash was detained.
• MP Teteruk hit MP Kuzhel in the head with a bottle in Parliament.

11/04/2015 Ukraine: Daily Highlights - Dekanoidze appointed Head of the National Police of Ukraine

Dekanoidze appointed Head of the National Police of Ukraine

11.04.2015 Daily Highlights by the Digests & Analytics Ukraine Agency

Topics from Media and Social Networks

• Dekanoidze appointed Head of the National Police of Ukraine.
• Most Europeans see the conflict in Donbas as a "civil war" provoked by Russia.
• Poroshenko blamed MPs for failing to adopt the laws necessary to obtain a visa-free regime with Europe.

11/03/2015 Ukraine: Daily Highlights - The militants resumed shellings in the conflict zone in the Donbass

Checkpoint in Trehizbenka

11.03.2015 Daily Highlights by the Digests & Analytics Ukraine Agency

Topics from Media and Social Networks

• The militants resumed shellings in the conflict zone in the Donbass.
• Security forces re-arrested the leader of the "Ukrop" party Korban.
• In Lviv, there was a huge fight between Swedish and Ukrainian football fans.
  

11/02/2015 Ukraine: Daily Highlights - Court of Chernyhiv failed to elect a preventive measure for leader of the "Ukrop" party Korban

Court of Chernyhiv failed to elect a preventive measure for Korban

11.02.2015 Daily Highlights by the Digests & Analytics Ukraine Agency

Topics from Media and Social Networks

• Court of Chernyhiv failed to elect a preventive measure for leader of the "Ukrop" party Korban.
• Pavlograd will have the second round of elections.
• Deputy Mosiychuk claims that the recognition of the crime was forced out of him under torture.
• Poroshenko called on the deputies to urgently adopt the laws necessary for obtaining of  a visa-free regime.

09/23/2015 Ukraine: Daily Highlights - Ukraine announced a technical default in connection with the agreed restructuring of the public debt

Ukraine announced a technical default in connection with the agreed restructuring of the public debt

09.23.2015 Daily Highlights by the Digests & Analytics Ukraine Agency

Topics from Media and Social Networks

• Ukraine announced a technical default in connection with the agreed restructuring of the public debt.
• In Kharkiv, unknown persons in balaclavas  stormed the house of deputy from the Opposition Blok Dobkin and building of the City Council .
• Battalion commander, suspected of bribes for smuggling in the occupied territory, was released on bail.
• The city council decided to return Artemovsk the historical name of Bakhmut.

08/18/2015 Ukraine: Daily Highlights -Negotiations between Germany, France and Ukraine leaders on the Donbass crisis will be held on Ukraine’s Independence Day

Negotiations between Merkel, Hollands and Poroshenko on the Donbass crisis will be held on Ukraine’s Independence Day

08.18.2015 Daily Highlights by the Digests & Analytics Ukraine News Agency

Topics from Media and Social Networks

• Negotiations between Germany, France and Ukraine leaders on the Donbass crisis will be held on Ukraine’s Independence Day, August 24th.
• Sixth wave of partial mobilization failed.
• "UDAR" and "Poroshenko Blok" parties are going to unite.

07/28/2015 Ukraine: Daily Highlights - An in absentia trial of former President Yanukovych and the officials of his regime started

An in absentia trial of former President Yanukovych and the officials of his regime started

07.28.2015 Daily Highlights by the Digests & Analytics Ukraine News Agency

Topics from Media and Social Networks

• An in absentia trial of former President Yanukovych and the officials of his regime started.
• The General Prosecutor accepted the resignation of his Deputy Guzyr, who defended the prosecutors involved in corruption.
• The National Bank agreed the conditions of work in Ukraine of the world's largest payment systems.

Key Events in Ukraine

• In Kiev, the ceremony to commemorate the 1000th anniversary of the death of Prince Vladimir, the baptizer of the Kyiv Rus, which was attended by the President Poroshenko, took place
• President Poroshenko urged the public to discuss the steps to prevent the violations during the local elections on October 25 .
• The Deputy Head of the President Administration Shymkiv said that the European Union can allocate funding to support the reform of the public service, if the Parliament adopts a new law on public service and a full and detailed plan for public sector reforming is developed.
• General Prosecutor Shokin accepted the resignation of his first Deputy Guzyr.
• The General Prosecutor's Office started in absentia legal prosecution regarding six former members of the President Yanukovych clan and issued about a hundred requests to various countries for the confiscation of the property stolen by the former officials.
• Former Head of the SSU Counterintelligence Department Kondratyuk was appointed a new Head of the Intelligence Department of the Ministry of  Defence .
• Foreign Minister Klimkin claimed that the EU gave no guarantees for introduction of the visa-free regime, and  the main criterion for such decision will be a successful fight against corruption and a reform of the law-enforcement system.
• The National Commission for Radio Communication agreed the deprivation of anonymity of the mobile subscribers.
• The National Bank simplified the conditions for entry into the Ukrainian market for the international payment systems, including PayPal and ApplePay.
• The assets of the National Bank in the national currency increased by 27% during the first six months of the year.
• The official hryvnia exchange rate against the major currencies remains stable, but the ruble rate decreases, reflecting the situation at the Moscow Stock Exchange: 22.04 UAH/USD (-0.02 UAH) 24.30 UAH /EUR (-0,10 UAH), 3.66 UAH/RUR 10 (-0.09 UAH).

Ukraine at War

• Militant attacks  intensified near Shyrokine , shellings do not stop along all the fighting line, at night militants launched a massive attack on Schastya. Official reports inform about one dead Ukrainian soldier and 11 wounded.
• Ukrainian army creates a Rapid Reaction Force reserve , which will be used if the militants start offensive after the withdrawal of the heavy weapons by Ukraine.
• According to the UN figures, the number of victims of the conflict in eastern Ukraine is 7 thousand people, more than 17 thousand people were injured. The number of internally displaced persons continues to grow and has already reached 1.4 million people. The Government of Japan allocated $ 800 thousand for assistance for the displaced persons under the UN program, including their retraining and business development.
• The SSU showed a video of the Russian Main Intelligence Directorate military, detained in Schastya, which, according to the Russian media, were allegedly exchanged for the Ukrainian hostages. However, according to the Adviser to the SSU Head Tandit, the Ukrainian side is considering the option of their exchange.

Ukraine and the World

• Following the French deputies, the members of the Italian Parliament are going to visit the Crimea in October. Realizing that they would be denied an entry to Ukraine, they still "want to see the situation in the Crimea with their own eyes."
• At the emergency NATO meeting in Brussels, the NATO countries supported the Turkish military operation against the militants of the Islamic state. Turkey does not need any military aid for fighting and is conducting arrests of the Islamic extremists, including those of Kurdish origin. The investigation revealed that the attack in the town of Suruç on the border with Syria was conducted by a Kurd,  recruited by the Islamic state extremists.
• According to the representative of Ukraine to the United Nations, Russia’s veto on a Security Council resolution regarding the establishment of an international tribunal to investigate the MH-17 flight aircraft accident will not prevent its establishment.
• Secretary of State Kerry urged the US Congress to approve the agreement with Iran, which is ready to dismantle its nuclear program in response to the lightening of sanctions.
• US Ambassador to Ukraine Payette believes that Russia is increasing the number of its forces along the borders with Ukraine and on Ukrainian territory and continues to escalate the conflict in the Donbass. Together with the militants under its control it demonstrates the constant readiness to continue the offensive.
• Attorney of Ukrainian deputy Savchenko, Novikov states that the verdict regarding her case is already written, and the Russian court would give her the maximum sentence of 25 years.
• The SSU, on the proposal of the Ministry of Culture, has banned French actor Depardieu from the entry to Ukraine for 5 years for his anti-Ukrainian statements.
• Natural gas production by Russian "Gazprom" dropped during five months in 2015 by 13% due to lower exports, which resulted in decrease of investments in the production of the hydrocarbons.
• The WCO Council confirmed the compliance with the organization requirements of the additional trading fee, introduced by Ukraine .

The Trends

• By the President Poroshenko Decree, Gnatishin  was appointed an ambassador to Moldova, where he already was an ambassador in 1996-2000. However, the ambassadors for the key countries (Canada, the United Kingdom, Switzerland and almost 20 other countries) are still not assigned. At the same time, Kyiv does not hesitate to receive the financial assistance and expertise from these countries. Deutsche Welle reported that such situation is connected with the shortage of personnel in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which qualified experienced diplomats are leaving en masse because of the low salaries and nepotism. According to the Head of Maydan of Foreign Affairs,   Yaremenko, absence of the  ambassadors in these countries is a result of incompetence of the MFA and failure of the President to fulfill his constitutional functions.
• In the opinion of the experts and representatives of the civil society, the replacement of the Deputy General Prosecutor by the successor, controlled by the sacked official, is a profanation of the reforms in the department. Deputy General Prosecutor Sakvarelidze and investigator Kasko, who headed the anti-corruption work, remained in their positions.