MP Yaroslav Zhelezniak: Developments in Ukraine’s parliament on economic reforms, international obligations — Issue 80

November 6, 2024

By Ukraine

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Editor’s note: This is issue 80 of Ukrainian lawmaker Yaroslav Zhelezniak’s weekly “Ukrainian Economy in Brief” newsletter, covering events from Oct. 28- Nov. 3, 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.

`Benchmarks and soft commitments in the memorandum with the IMF`

Ukraine's parliament adopted in the final reading the accounting chamber reform.

The Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament, fully adopted draft law #10044-d on reforming the Accounting Chamber of Ukraine. The parliament is currently preparing a draft law for signing.

Among key provisions are:

transparent competitive selection of the chamber's members with participation and the decisive vote of international experts;
political and financial independence of the chamber;
decreasing number of members from 13 to 11;
extending the mandate of the accounting chamber to all public finances, including local budgets and funds from international partners;
mandatory external audit of the chamber performance every five years etc.

The Verkhovna Rada adopted the 2025 State Budget in the first reading.

Parliament adopted in the first reading draft law #12000 on the State Budget for 2025. During the discussion, the Verkhovna Rada managed to reject an amendment which suggested raising wages for prosecutors. The remaining text remains the same as it was supported by the Budget Committee.

The Bureau of Economic Security announced new members of the Civil Oversight Council.

The Bureau of Economic Security announced winners of the competition for new members of the Civil Oversight Council. Representatives of five NGOs will run the Civil Oversight Council. In particular, representatives of the NGO “Anti-corruption ax," “Center of social control," “Ukrainian Law Society," “Center for Economic Strategy," and the “Institute of Legislative Ideas."

The deadline for vetoing the draft law on tax increases has passed.

Oct. 30 was the last day when President Volodymyr Zelensky could veto draft law #11416-d on a tax increase. However, as of Monday the bill still hasn't been signed. According to our information, the president was supposed to sign it last week. The reason for the delay is currently unknown.

`Obligations to the EU`

The president signed the draft law on plea agreements, the deadline was met.

On Oct. 29, the Verkhovna Rada adopted in the final reading draft law #12039 to improve the mechanism of plea agreements for people accused in big corruption cases. The President signed the draft law on 31 October as it was required by the Ukraine Plan for receiving the next tranche of money.

`Other key issues`

The Verkhovna Rada approves the resignation of the prosecutor general.

Last week, the Verkhovna Rada voted to approve the resignation of Prosecutor General Andrii Kostin. Kostin submitted his resignation after corruption schemes at medical examination commissions and numerous facts of fake disabilities of prosecutors were revealed.

The Cabinet of Ministers has not yet introduced a candidate to replace Kostin.

The parliament approved an extension of martial law and general mobilization in Ukraine.

The parliament supported presidential draft laws to extend martial law and mobilization from Nov. 1 for another 90 days until Feb. 7, 2025. It’s the thirteenth prolongation of martial law since the beginning of the full-scale invasion in February 2022.