Editor's Note: The Kyiv Post will be tracking the progress made by Ukraine's post-EuroMaidan Revolution leaders in making deep structural changes in the public interest. The Reform Watch project is supported by the International Renaissance Foundation. Content is independent of the financial donor.
1.Security & Defense
President Petro Poroshenko signed a law granting special status to some parts of Kremlin separatist-controlled Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts. It also stipulates that transparent elections should be conducted there under Ukrainian law and monitored by observers of Organization for Security and Cooperation of Europe. The parliament also set new boundaries, recognized the areas as temporarily occupied and backed the appeal of President Petro Poroshenko to the United Nations Security Council to dispatch the peacekeeping troops. The parliament also approved participation of armed forces from foreign countries in Ukrainian-American military training this year in Ukraine.
2. Energy
State gas provider Naftogaz will have its hydrocarbon resources in Crimea and its branch in Egypt audited by American Ryder Scott Company, chosen in an open tender. The company will assess the value. Its services will cost Naftogaz $1.5 million. Parliament approved a draft law to regain government control over oil giant Ukrnafta as part of a bid to recover Hr 2 billion in dividends the company owes to the state. Naftogaz is the majority shareholder owning 50+1 percent share of Ukrnafta, while 42 percent is controlled by a group linked to billionaire Dnipropetrovsk Governor Igor Kolomoisky. The draft law decreases the quorum for shareholders meeting from 60 percent to 50+1 percent.
3. Rule of law
The Cabinet of Ministers created a national anti-corruption agency.
4. Public Adminisration
Ten key reforms were approved by Ukraine’s government, the European Union and its member states. The list represents Ukraine’s priorities in overhauling the judiciary, public administration and energy sectors as well the Constitution, elections, external audit and taxation. Prominent economist Oleksandr Paskhaver was appointed presidential adviser. Parliament approved a set of bills to procure vaccines against tuberculosis and HIV through United Nations Children’s Fund and World Health Organization. The lawmakers also approved the bill on public broadcasting service. State-owned national and local TV and radio companies will merge into state public broadcasting service company, if the bill is enacted into law. The bill aims to secure independent public broadcasting service and prevent privatization of it, according to Viktoria Siumar, People’s Front party faction lawmaker who co-authored the draft law.
5. Land
Parliament’s committee on agriculture policy gave the green light to a draft law that will make sales and lease of state land possible only through open tenders. The bill aims to shed corrupt practices. The lawmakers also advanced a draft law which frees a number of state institutions including national parks, zoos, research centers, kindergardens and schools from paying land tax.
