04/19/2015 Ukraine: Daily Highlights - Governmental subsidies for the third of the country’s population

Prime Minister Yatsenyuk

04/19/2015 Daily Highlights by the Digests & Analytics Ukraine News Agency

Topics from the Media and Social Networks

• Governmental subsidies for the third of the country’s population.
• Funeral of anti-Ukrainian journalist Buzina.
• Photos of Poroshenko together with Russia-24 channel anchorman Kiselev.
• Anti-Corruption Bureau will start working only in six months.

Key Events of Ukraine

• According to the Prime Minister Yatsenyuk, subsidies for payment for utility services should get 12-15 million Ukrainians, or 3 million households.
• Minister of Economic Development and Trade of Ukraine Abromavičius stated that the participation of Russian business in privatization of state-owned enterprises will be prohibited by law.
• Security Services of Ukraine seized about 130 servers in a Kharkov data center while investigating the financing of terrorists.
• President's Representative in the Cabinet Danyluk said that the National Anti-Corruption Bureau will start working in six months at the earliest. Bureau Head Sytnic said that the Bureau is to establish connections with the agencies of all countries fighting against corruption, especially with the FBI.

Ukraine at War

• Anti-Terrorist Operation Headquarters reported that the number of shellings of Ukrainian positions decreased. Fighting continued in Shyrokine, Avdiyivka, Opytne and Peski.
  Photos of huge depots with Russian ammunition close to Ukrainian border were published. The transfer of heavy machinery in the Donbass continues. US Ambassador to Ukraine Payette claimed that the militants have more tanks, armored vehicles and MLRS than some NATO and European countries .
• According to the UN, the number of temporary migrants from the conflict zone has reached 1 million 228 thousand people, of which 154 thousands are children.

Ukraine and the World

• German Foreign Minister Steinmeier warned the Russian leadership against recognizing the Donbass  “republics”, as this will complicate the conflict resolution in the Donbass.

The Trends

• Lumpenization of Ukrainian people and bringing them to the extreme poverty allows the ruling elite to form an obedient elektrorate for the election. Their votes will be easy to buy with small subsidies and social benefits.
  At the same time, the authorities hinder the development of public business and self-employment in every way with the help of the tax burden, ultra-high interest rates on loans and power abuse by the security agencies.
• Social networks users keenly discuss the pass inssuing system and sizes of the bribes required for trucks with goods to cross the Ukrainian control posts at the border of the combat zone. While the militants had already bought such passes, ordinary people in the region are waiting to get them for months.