MP Yaroslav Zhelezniak: Developments in Ukraine’s parliament on economic reforms, international obligations — Issue 52

Ukraine's parliament building, the Verkhovna Rada. (Getty Images)

Editor’s note: This is issue 52 of Ukrainian lawmaker Yaroslav Zhelezniak’s weekly “Ukrainian Economy in Brief” newsletter, covering events from April 15-22, 2024. The digest highlights steps taken in the Ukrainian parliament related to business, economics, and international financial programs.

The Kyiv Independent is republishing with permission.

World Bank priorities

The Committee on Law-Enforcement recommended a draft law with changes in the High Anti-Corruption Court hearings.

On April 22, the Committee on Law Enforcement Issues recommended adopting draft law #11130. The draft law suggests rationalizing matters or issues to be heard at the first instance by one anti-corruption judge. This step is mentioned as a structural benchmark under the memorandum with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and is also one of the conditionalities of the Ukraine Plan within the new mechanism of the financial support from the EU “Ukraine Facility."

The Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament, is going to consider draft law #11130 during its plenary meeting on April 23.

Read also: Reuters: World Bank financing arm plans to invest $1.9 billion in Ukraine

The parliament will consider the draft law on railway transport.

On April 23, the Verkhovna Rada is going to consider draft laws #1196 and #1196-1 on railway transport. These draft laws are aimed to bring the Ukrainian railway market to EU standard.

As we reported in Issue 51, the head of the Committee on Transport and Infrastructure submitted resolutions to reject draft laws on railway transport #1196 and #1196-1. This step is aimed to unblock an opportunity to submit revised draft law on this issue which will meet all the agreements with the World Bank.

Other key economic issues

The President signed the draft law on mobilization.

On April 16, the President Volodymyr Zelensky signed draft law #10449 on mobilization. The draft law was published on April 17, which means that it comes into effect from May 18.

The parliament may adopt several personnel decisions, in particular regarding the positions in the Cabinet of Ministers.

This week, according to our information, the Verkhovna Rada will consider several personnel changes. It is said that, on Tuesday there may be several issues on releasing from offices, in particular among the ministers in the Cabinet of Ministers. On April 25, the parliament may vote for the relevant appointments. The exact list of persons whose positions in the government may change already this week is still unknown.

This week we also expect the dismissal of all seven members of the Accountant Chamber of Ukraine, whose contracts have expired according to the legal terms.

Read also: Zelensky: Draft age lowered because younger generation fit, tech-savvy