Civil activists, protesting against the announcement of Vilkul a Mayor of Kryvyi Rih, mounted tents in front of the City Council. The CEC considers Vilkul a legitimately elected Mayor, despite the protests and pending lawsuits .
The Ministry of Internal Affairs announced about installation of checkpoints for the documents verification and personal inspections in the center of Kyiv on November 21-22, during the celebration of the Day of Dignity and Freedom. Police Head explain such measures by the requirements of public safety.
The Interior Ministry and the General Prosecutor's Office Heads canceled a joint press conference where they had to report on investigation conducted by the law enforcement agencies on crimes against the activists of the Maidan.
The IMF mission completed another stage of work in Ukraine and is looking forward to the adoption by the Parliament of the budget and conduct of the tax reform. The Head of the Mission said that Ukraine needs stable measures to expand the tax base and to optimie the costs.
The World Bank and the PWC auditing company issued a rating of the tax burden on businesses in different countries. Ukraine ranked it 107th among 189 countries. The level of the tax burden in the country is 52.2% compared to the world’s average of 40.8%.
The Moody's Ratings agency believes that next year Ukraine's economy could grow by 2%, in case of performing of real reforms.
The National Bank sold more than $ 21 million during the currency auction, but the demand for it did not decrease. The hryvnia exchange rate once again decreased, on the interbank market it was lower than 24 UAH/USD. Official exchange rates were set to 23,98 ₴/$ (+0,14 UAH), 25,63 ₴/€ (+0,16 UAH), 3,70 ₴/10 ₽ (+0,03 UAH). Foreign currency keeps getting more expensive in exchange offices.
European Commissioner Hahn confirmed the fulfillment by Ukraine of the requirements of the Action Plan on visa liberalization with the EU. Report on the implementation of the plan will be announced in mid-December 2015.
The Administration of President Poroshenko said that all the EU countries ratified an Association Agreement with Ukraine. The last countries to ratify the agreement were Greece and Belgium. The Netherlands will hold a referendum on the issue , the results of which will not be binding.
The Press Service of President Poroshenko claimed that Pope Francis agreed to visit Ukraine and endorsed the Minsk Agreement.
Ukraine's Foreign Ministry condemned the visit to the occupied territory of the Donbass of two Bundestag deputies without the consent of the Ukrainian leadership.
The UN Security Council adopted a resolution on the fight against the terrorist Islamic state, proposed by France. The Council called on the UN member states to redouble their efforts to prevent the terrorist attacks, to stop the financing of terrorism and to prevent the travel of militants to Iraq and Syria.
Belgian authorities, during the operation to investigate the terrorist attacks in the capital, declared the highest level of terrorist threat. The EU introduces a strengthened border control at the borders of the Schengen area, including the checks of their own citizens.
In Mali, a large-scale terrorist act was committed. The militants, who declared themselves the members of the al-Qaeda terrorist group , captured hostages in a major international hotel. SWAT took the hotel by assault . According to press reports, more than 20 people were killed , including several militants. The authorities of Mali introduced a 10-day state of emergency in the country .
European media reported that at the meeting of NATO in December, Montenegro will receive an offer to join the Alliance.
Public activists are outraged by the actions of the Kiev leadership of the National Police, which introduces the enhanced check measures during the mass events on the anniversary of the events on the Maidan. According to experts, such actions are allowed only in the case of a declared state of emergency in the capital or the anti-terrorist operation mode only according to the court order.
Refusal of the Interior Ministry and General Prosecutor's Office ledership to report on the investigation of the crimes on the Maidan, in the opinion of civil society and lawyers of the "Heavenly hundred", demonstrates the interest of the authorities in the collapse of the criminal cases against those responsible for the persecution and murders of the activists.
Deputy Chairman of the SBU Trepak said that he resigned due to disagreement with the actions of the prosecutors who are being covered by General Prosecutor Shokin. The main reason for the conflict between the Security Service and the General Prosecutor 's Office, according to him, is strong control over the actions of the operatives. Such system was incorporated in the amended Code of the Criminal Procedure , prepared by former deputy head of the Presidential Administration Portnov during the time of President Yanukovych. According to Trepak, the Prosecutor's Office is the source of the leak of confidential information and the country's leadership is interested in maintaining the current system, because with the help of the Prosecutor's Office it can control the entire power structure.
The searches at the Odessa port plant are being conducted as a part of the investigation into the theft of more than USD 4 billion from the budget. Chairman of the Odessa Regional State Administration Saakashvili accused the Prime Minister Yatsenyuk of covering of corruption schemes of natural gas supplies, which are under deputy of the Popular Front Martynenko’s control. Currently, investigations against Martynenko are carried out by the prosecutors of Switzerland and the Czech Republic.
