09/04/2015 Ukraine: Daily Highlights - Saakashvili accused the Yatsenyuk’s Cabinet of failing the reforms and of work for oligarchs

Saakashvili accused the Yatsenyuk’s Cabinet of failing the reforms and of work for oligarchs

09.04.2015 Daily Highlights by the Digests & Analytics Ukraine News Agency

Topics from Media and Social Networks

• Saakashvili accused the Yatsenyuk’s Cabinet of failing the reforms and of work for oligarchs.
• There was a “coup” in the "Donetsk Republic".
• The United States warned that the aid will be provided only in exchange for reforms.

Key Events in Ukraine

• President Poroshenko signed the amendments to two laws - on the status of local self-government and local elections, which determine the first local elections in the new integrated territorial communities.
• The decision of the National Security and Defense Council of 20 July 2015 on measures to protect the national interests of Ukraine in the field of aviation, which provides for the adaptation of Ukrainian legislation to European standards and actions to introduce a regime of "open skies" with the European Union and individual European countries was put into effect .
• Poroshenko instructed the Cabinet to ensure  within a month the inspections of the use of budget and credit  funds in the financing of activities during preparations for Euro 2012.
• The Constitutional Commission supported the President Administration proposals to amend the Constitution in connection with the judicial reform.
• The first e-petition on the free possession of weapons by the citizens of Ukraine gathered 25 thousand votes and was forwarded to the President.
• The Cabinet dismissed Head of the State Aviation Service Antoniuk, who is supposedly controlled by oligarch Kolomoisky, and appointed an acting head before the open competition for the position is held.
• Members of the "Svoboda" party were called for questioning regarding the riots near the Verkhovna Rada on August 31, which resulted in  numerous victims.
• International reserves of the NBU in August increased by $ 2.24 billion, or 21.6% - to $ 12.62 billion due to obtaining of the next IMF tranche. By the end of the year the Extended Crediting  Program foresees an increase of reserves up to $ 18.3 billion, which will guarantee nearly four-month imports to Ukraine.
• The hryvnia rate fell slightly before the weekend: 21,94 ₴ / $ (-0,07 UAH), 24,44 ₴ / € (-0,28 UAH), 3,24 ₴/10 ₽ (+0.04 UAH).

Ukraine at War

• Throughout the day the situation in the Donbass remained relatively stable, the militants conducted  provocative shellings in the area of Donetsk and Gorlovka.
• Near Schastye one more soldier, a member of the group to fight smuggling in the occupied territory, tripped a land mine. The Prosecutor's office conducts investigation regarding the leadership of the army units, which are suspected of "protection racket" of smuggling and the murder of the mobile group servicemen .
• The Head of the Donetsk Military -Civilian Administration Zhebrivskyi believes that the elections should be held in the Donbass only after regaining of control over the state border and the withdrawal of the Russian heavy machinery and mercenaries.
• The SBU stopped the VAT refund from the budget for the enterprises of oligarch Akhmetov, which carry out their activities in the occupied territory of the Donbass.

Ukraine and the World

• Russia is ready to give a discount for natural gas for the IV quarter, with the price being at the level of the prices for deliveries to neighboring to Ukraine countries. Energy Minister Novak said that Ukraine did not request any discounts from Gazprom.
• Ambassador to Kiev Payette said the United States will provide assistance to Ukraine only when the systemic reforms are conducted by the authorities.
• The countries of the "Visegrad Four" spoke against the introduction of quotas for the refugees in the EU.
• The EU mission, working in Ukraine, in a month will provide recommendations for visa regime liberalization.
• The Russian Foreign Ministry said that in general the parties to the conflict comply with the requirements of the ceasefire in the Donbass.

The Trends

• A skirmish broke out in the media between Prime Minister Yatsenyuk and Head of the Odessa Regional State Administration Saakashvili. Politicians exchanged the counteraccusations of incompetence and lies. At the same time, Saakashvili  said again that he does not want a chair of the Head of the Government.