Although already on the calendar in 2017, in fact, it was the last week of the political 2016. And even in many aspects — last week the political of eight years, which ends today with the inauguration of Donald trump.
BYE, BIDEN! For Ukraine line under the last eight years were summarized farewell visit of the Vice-President of the USA Joe Biden. Between these two dates — check-in to the White house team of Barack Obama and her farewell to the government — for our country fit the whole historical epoch, in which Biden played a key role.
It was he who kept Viktor Yanukovych from radical steps towards independence (particularly exactly three years ago, when the Maidan moved in the power phase) and this contributed to the victory of the latter. Just behind him was the final word in making not only foreign policy but also many of the internal decisions of Ukraine in the post-revolutionary period.
But this week, Biden has not come to solve the accumulated problems, it will be a matter for the new administration of the White house. Yet, Vice-President of the United States just gave advice. The main of which is to implement the Minsk agreements. Biden is sure that this is the only recipe restore the integrity of Ukraine. Whether this promise plans of our government and the willingness of enemy view. Meanwhile, the Minister of internal Affairs Arsen Avakov said that Ukraine will take Donbass under control before the end of 2017.
THE IMF TOOK UP THE OLD. Another recipe from the Biden — unpopular reforms. It is no coincidence that simultaneously with his visit appeared information about the new requirements put forward by the IMF for the next tranche.
A key reform — raising the retirement age. The Cabinet approved the Pension Fund budget deficit of 140 billion hryvnia, and this figure is haunted by the Fund. He proposes to raise the age of retirement for all years to 63 years, stretching reform until 2027.
While Ukrainian politicians are firm in their promises and in no hurry to meet overseas requests. At least, the Deputy Prime Minister Pavlo Rozenko this week again stated that to raise the retirement age, no one is going.
Other IMF demands — the introduction of agricultural land market and the monetization of subsidies. As for the land, it may not happen before 2018, because the Verkhovna Rada has extended the “plot” a moratorium on all of the current year. And the monetization of subsidies is generally something incomprehensible. There is only intuitive suspicion that anything good it is for low-income citizens will not do.
DAVOS ARE OUT OF DATE. In addition to parting with Biden, Ukrainian politicians this week was yet another global event — the annual economic forum in Davos. However, the importance of his already questionable. Many say that the forum has exhausted itself. The current did not go most of the leaders of leading countries — USA, Germany, France, Russia. However, Chinese President XI Jinping. But others say this year is not particularly about anything, because all live in anticipation of change in the White house.
EUROPAREISE. A change of government this week took place not only in the US but also in the European Parliament, where elected a new President. They became Italian conservator Antonio Tajani. His election was the result of a compromise between supporters and opponents of Russia in Europe. On the one hand, Tajani is the European people’s party — the Union in which the key role played by Angela Merkel. On the other hand it is a country that most strictly in favor of lifting the sanctions against Russia. Moreover, Tajani is included in the Executive Committee of the party of Silvio Berlusconi, known for his friendly relations with Vladimir Putin. Therefore, it is difficult to predict which side will lead the European Parliament the new President. Yes, the head of the European Parliament — largely “ceremonial” figure without major powers, but his statements listen.
SAVCHENKO AND DEFENSE. The Ukrainian Parliament this week is also summed up in 2016, at the conclusion of its autumn session. The active session last week failed, as many leading politicians flew to the United States at the inauguration of the trump. As a result, in the spotlight is once again Hope Savchenko, now not representing any faction.
Commenting on the statement of Avakov about the capture of Donbass under control this year, Savchenko said that there is no military solution, and peace in such a short time is possible only in one case — if Ukraine goes to the refusal of the Crimea “for some time”.
The statement caused a storm of negative emotions in Ukraine. The parliamentary Committee on defense and national security, which includes Hope, on Wednesday met specifically to exclude Savchenko from among its members. More precisely, to recommend to Parliament to do it.
The decision took place, but it was accompanied by a skirmish between Hope and head of the Committee, the notorious representative of the “popular front” Sergei Pashinsky. In response to the accusations in his address Savchenko Pashinsky accused of involvement in the delivery of the Crimea in 2014. In the spring of 2014 Pashinsky was the acting head of the presidential Administration.
WHO WROTE TO PUTIN? About the events of three years ago this week recalled. So, the Prosecutor General Yuri Lutsenko said that the UN Secretariat sent a copy of the letter of Viktor Yanukovych to Vladimir Putin, dated March 2014, in which the fugitive President asks the leader of the Russian Federation to introduce troops to Ukraine to stabilize the situation and prevent civil war. Earlier, Yuri Lutsenko talked about the fact that this letter is one of the main evidence of Yanukovych of treason. However, in March 2014, Yanukovich was President (although he called himself so), and therefore, on the basis of the Ukrainian legislation, appealed to Putin as a private person.
KYIV-LVIV ANOMALY: SMOG AND DEBRIS
And two more local events of the week, which had a great resonance.
Kiev in the middle of winter suddenly was enveloped in smog, and all day Tuesday, residents of the capital could not understand, where did the smoke. KSCA also dealt with this issue, but no fire was found. And the result is announced, it’s all about a certain natural anomalies.
Anomalies should be noted, increasingly become the explanation put out by the Kiev mayor’s office. The recent cold in the apartments and the rush on the roads there, too, explained that all the cause of the rare natural phenomenon, when both had big frosts and snow. Perhaps all it is, but how natural phenomena can be explained by the fact that the snow from the sidewalks are not cleaned even after a week? Happy is that wonderful Christmas lighting of the streets. Very distracting from the urgent problems. Maybe her to leave forever?
The city — its a state of emergency has already been usual for the last half of the year. There again the accident with the garbage that couldn’t be taken out. The dump burned down at the end of may, and other cities refuse to accept the Lviv waste. As a result, the debris around the country, it is trying to attach to Kyiv and Dnipropetrovsk, Mykolaiv and Volyn, Sumy and Khmelnytsky. Yesterday the truck with him were detained already on the highway Kyiv — Chop, Lviv mayor Andriy Sadovy said that it can start to export abroad. It remains to sympathize with the officers, because they probably for the first time, will have to dig through garbage to prevent smuggling.
