16/10/2014 Ukraine: Daily Highlights - Bilateral meetings between President Poroshenko and EU leaders are ongoing in Milano within the framework of the "Asia-Europe" forum

16/10/2014 Daily Highlights from “Digests & Analytics Ukraine” News Agency

Bilateral meetings between President Poroshenko and EU leaders are ongoing in Milano within the framework of the "Asia-Europe" forum. Poroshenko signed the legislation on special status of Donbass and amnesty of participants in illegal military formations.

Ukraine

• President Poroshenko signed the legislation on special status of some regions of Donbass and amnesty of participants in illegal military formations, justifying this step  as the only way to create necessary conditions to restore law and order, constitutional rights and freedom of citizens.
• The Government approved the action plan to restore the infrastructure and residential buildings, which have been damaged during the combat actions in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
• President Poroshenko created a consultative council on the judicial system reform and hopes that the reform is going to be successfully implemented by the next parliament.
• As reported by Prime Minister Yatsenyuk, agricultural production increased by 16%. He also expects oil traders to lower fuel prices according to the movement of oil price on the global markets. Until the decision is made by the Stockholm Arbitrage, Ukraine is ready co conclude a temporary agreement with Russia on gas supplies until 31st of March 2015.
• Internal Affairs Minister Avakov said that 15 thousands policemen, who stayed on the territory controlled by DPR and LPR, have been fired and deprived of salaries and persons; volunteers battalion “Shakhtersk” was disbanded due to looting cases; commanders of National Guards and Army units, which went on strike on 13th of October, have been punished.
• National Bank Head Gontareva declared that NBU doesn’t have any claims against Russian banks in Ukraine and that Russia is ready to co-capitalize banks with state capital. Official exchange rate is rather stable: 12.95 UAH/USD, 16.40 UAH/EUR (+2 cop), 3.16 USD/10 RUR (-3 cop).

Kyiv

• City’s public transport drivers are threatening with a strike and collective quitting as salary payments are chronically delayed.

War in Ukraine

• Sounds of heavy artillery are heard in Donetsk during the day, as terrorists усе it фром residential areas. Night assault on Donetsk International Airport was successfully repelled by Ukrainian army. Militants shelled Ukrainian army positions in Debaltseve, Frunze, Smile.
• Ukraine returned 16 soldiers to Russia, out of 131, who's relatives formally applied for their search within the format of prisoners of war exchange under the Minsk memorandum.
• Press service of NSDC reported an increase of concentration of military equipment and troops of terrorists within Donetsk and Luhans’k regions in directions of Avdiivka, Debaltseve, Telmanovo, Volnovaha, Mariupol, and near Stanitsya Luhanska. Russian troops withdrawal from the state border hasn’t been evidenced.

International

• "Asia-Europe" summit is ongoing in Milano, where official meetings of leaders of Germany, Italy, Russia, Ukraine and other countries have already took place. EU president and the head of the European Commission at a meeting with President Poroshenko expressed the need to comply strictly with the Minsk memorandum, as well as highlighted that pseudo-elections in Donbass will destroy the peace process, and that energy security of Ukraine and the EU require joint efforts and coordination.
• Slovakian President signed the ratification of the association agreement with Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova.
• Russian President Putin threatens Europe with reduction of natural gas supplies if Ukraine uses unauthorized siphoning from the export pipelines.
• Ukraine's Foreign Ministry lodged a strong protest against the practice of international adoption of orphans from occupied Crimea.

Trends

• Lustration process, which started recently according to the «Authorities Purification Act», reminds of a farce - there will be no officials to be fired from Kharkiv regional administration under the law, only seven officials will be affected in the Presidential Administration. Only 21 persons will be fired from the top management of all ministries, while another 19 have already quit on their own.
• According to expert opinions, the law on special status of Donbass and the one on amnesty of participants in illegal military formations are undermining the rights of the rest of Ukrainians and betraying national interests.