10/03/2015 Ukraine: Daily Highlights - Ukrainian army began the withdrawal of light artillery in the Luhansk region

Ukrainian army began the withdrawal of light artillery

10.03.2015 Daily Highlights by the Digests & Analytics Ukraine Agency

Topics from Media and Social Networks

• Ukrainian army began the withdrawal of light artillery in the Luhansk region.
• The IMF mission will continue to work in Ukraine.
• Head of the NBU Gontareva believes that Poroshenko is not obliged to sell his assets.

Key Events in Ukraine

• Prime Minister Yatsenyuk informed that the Government accumulated $ 1.3 billion for the heating season.
• Head of the Transcarpathian Regional State Administration Moskal criticized the conclusions of the Verkhovna Rada Investigative Commission on the events in Mukachevo with the participation of law enforcement officers and the "Right Sector". According to him, the members of the commission did not name the real reasons that led to the incident, as well as the leaders of the criminal clans.
• The IMF mission will continue to negotiate with Ukraine. Head of Mission Georgiev reported that mutual understanding was  reached on most issues, but the Government will need more time to specify the policy in some sectors. The Fund downgraded the fall in GDP estimate for the year from 9 to 11%, but expects a growth by 2% in 2016 .
  Finance Minister Yaresko expects the next credit tranche under the extended financing program  in mid-November, which will be directed to replenish the foreign exchange reserves of the National Bank.
• Head of the NBU Gontareva said that the banking sector was cleared from the financial institutions that have no real assets, as well as from the banks participating in the money laundering. According to her, starting from the first quarter of 2016 the economy will start to grow.

Ukraine at War

• After two days of ceasefire, the Armed Forces began the withdrawal of weapons in the Luhansk region. According to the press service of the General Staff, the withdrawal of the weapons in the Donetsk region will start in 15 days. For a complete withdrawal of artillery with the caliber of less than 100 mm, and the Ukrainian army tanks it is required 41 days.
• During the day, according to the official reports, no casualties were reported among Ukrainian servicemen .

Ukraine and the World

• The Presidents of Poland and Slovakia oppose the construction of a new "Nord Stream" gas pipeline . The leaders of the "Visegrád Four" consider this decision politically motivated and the one that contradicts the interests of the Central European countries - the transiters  of natural gas.
• After a day of traffic restrictions due to blockage by the migrants, Eurotunnel under the English Channel was opened . German Chancellor Merkel called to strengthen the protection of the EU borders due to increased flow of refugees. Head of the European Council Tusk considers the refugees problem an element of the "hybrid war" between Russia and the West.
  President of the 70th session of the UN General Assembly Lykketoft said that the international community will be able to give an adequate response to the refugee crisis only through joint efforts.
• In Moldova, protests against the government and the President of Moldova continue . The Chişinău Mayor said that the demonstrations are organized by Russia.
  Special forces of the country detained and deported the crew of the Russian NTV channel, which had no accreditation for coverage of the events issued by the Moldovan authorities.

TheTrends

• Most Ukrainian politicians are critical of the progress achieved in the negotiations of the "Normandy Four" in Paris, comparing the actions of Chancellor Merkel and President Hollande with the policy of appeasement of the European leaders before the World War II. Apart from Ukraine, none of the negotiating parties assumed liability for legislative recognition of the results.