12/10/2015 Ukraine: Daily Highlights - The law on the Public Service has been adopted

The law on the Public Service has been adopted

12.10.2015 Daily Highlights by the Digests & Analytics Ukraine Agency

Topics from Media and Social Networks

• The law on the Public Service has been adopted.
• The Verkhovna Rada failed to call new elections in Kryvyi Rih.
• The "Russian terrorist" killed by the SBU could be a volunteer fighter.

Key Events in Ukraine

• The Verkhovna Rada adopted the Law on Public Service. The bill provides for the division of posts into political and non-political categories; introduction of the post of Secretary of the Ministry responsible for administrative issues and human resources; establishment of a commission for selection testing in an open competition on the principles of transparency. European Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighbourhood Policy Hahn promised Ukraine expert support to develop reform strategy in the area of public administration. Parliament failed to vote on re-election in Kryvyi Rih, where an interim committee investigated the facts of vote rigging. The Law on citizen’s access to information on utility pricing has been adopted.
• The Cabinet has agreed the draft of the new Tax Code and the 2016 budget and is ready to submit it to the President to introduce it to the Verkhovna Rada.
• The Government has decided to resume vehicle inspection: starting in 2015 for commercial vehicles, starting in 2017 for passenger vehicles, starting in 2019 for light motor vehicles. It also provides for the installation of speed limitation devices on commercial vehicles for up to 90 km/h, on buses for up to 100 km/h, on school buses for up to 70 km/h.
• Prime Minister Yatsenyuk promised to minimize as much as possible the debts on VAT refunds by the end of the year.
• Head of Special Investigations Department of the Prosecutor General’s Office believes that the Law on the National Anti-Corruption Bureau blocks the investigation of crimes against Maidan activists, since it provides for the transfer of cases to the new unit, and the detectives will a lot of time to study and continue the investigation.
• First Deputy Head of the NBU Pisaruk resigned.
• Prime Minister proposed to ease exchange restrictions after the Tax Code and the budget are adopted and the IMF tranche is received.
• NBU announced banking holidays on January 1-3 and 7-10, 2016.
• After an insignificant increase, the official hryvnia rate dropped again: 23.37 ₴/$ (+0.47 UAH), 25.57 ₴/€ (+0.52 UAH), 3.38 ₴/10 ₽ (0.07 UAH). Exchange rate fluctuations within a few days may be up to 3%.

Ukraine at War

• According to official reports, as a result of the incessant shelling and attacks by militants in the combat area, two Ukrainian soldiers were killed and 10 injured. Observers at the forefront reported that the militants are using heavy equipment and MLRS Grad.
• OSCE deployed advanced observational bases in Gorlovka and Debaltsevo.
• SBU announed the automatic renewal of the passes to cross the line of contact.
• The leader of the LPR Plotnytsky said the "republic" no longer needs humanitarian aid from Russia.

Ukraine and the World

• Russia, along with several other countries, opposed the proposal on the annual report on the implementation of the Geneva Convention relative to the treatment of prisoners of war and observance of the rules of warfare because "the issue is excessively politicized."
• Ambassador Pyatt believes that Ukraine needs less politics and more reforms. Political leaders should join efforts to work for the future of the country.

The Trends

• Ukrainians social networks discuss the news that the "member of the Russian sabotage group" that was killed in Kyiv on arrest could be a Right Sector volunteer who fought against Russia since April 2014.