The International Monetary Fund (IMF) insist on the expeditious consideration of the bill on the Anti-Corruption Court by Ukrainian authorities. “It is now important that the authorities move expeditiously with parliamentary consideration of the draft law on the anticorruption court, while ensuring that the necessary amendments are adopted during the parliamentary process to make the approved law fully consistent with [Extended Fund Facility, EFF] program commitments and the recommendations of the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe,” the IMF said in a press release after a visit of a small staff team to Kyiv.
Further progress also needs to be made on other delayed measures that are necessary to achieve program objectives, including in the energy sector and with regard to fiscal policy. The IMF said that discussions will continue in the coming weeks. As reported, a small IMF staff team visited Kyiv during February 12-16 for technical discussions with the authorities.
Since the arrival of a new government led by Volodymyr Groysman in April 2016 talks over continued funding have resumed but it was not until mid-September that the IMF decided to allocate the third tranche, $1 billion. The fourth tranche was received on April 3, 2017.
Within the fourth review, which opens the way for a fifth tranche, the IMF continues to study the law on pension reform passed by the Verkhovna Rada. In addition, Ukraine still needs to pass legislation on the creation of the Anti-Corruption Court, as well as to adjust the domestic gas tariffs in accordance with the previously approved formula. The date of the mission’s arrival for the new review of the EFF program has not yet been determined.
