Businessman Ihor Kolomoisky and the fifth president of Ukraine, leader of the European Solidarity party, MP Petro Poroshenko meet the criteria under which they are included in the register of oligarchs provided for by the president’s bill on de-oligarchization, Justice Minister Denys Maliuska has said.
“There are official partners of Mr. Kolomoisky in the Verkhovna Rada, and he is not alone, therefore Mr. Kolomoisky definitely could be included [in the register of oligarchs] European Solidarity understands that their leader [Petro Poroshenko] also automatically falls into the register,” Maliuska said on the air of Savik Shuster’s Freedom of Speech program on Ukraina TV channel on Friday.
As reported, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky this week submitted a bill on the prevention of threats to national security associated with the excessive influence of persons with significant economic or political weight in public life (oligarchs) (No. 5599) to the Verkhova Rada.
According to the document, any three of four conditions are sufficient for the National Security and Defense Council to include a person in the register of oligarchs: significant influence on the media, participation in political life, beneficial ownership of a monopoly company and a fortune equaling over 1 million living wages (about $83 million at the current exchange rate).
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky instructed the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC), the Antimonopoly Committee and the President’s Office to draft a law on oligarchs, NSDC Secretary Oleksiy Danilov said and added that NSDC confidently classifies 13 persons as oligarchs.
“At the last meeting of the National Security and Defense Council, the President the NSDC, the Antimonopoly Committee, and the President’s Office to draft a law on oligarchs who today have a very large impact on our economy, our domestic and foreign political processes,” Danilov said, speaking at the Ukraine 30. National Security forum in Kyiv on Tuesday.
According to Danilov, “the NSDC considers 13 persons who can be confidently classified as oligarchs according to the NSDC criteria.” At the same time, he did not specify who he was talking about.
As reported, on April 15, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, following a meeting of the National Security and Defense Council, announced an initiative to draft a bill on oligarchs in order to limit their influence on politics and the adoption of laws in Ukraine.
Candidate to the post of Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky and members of his team have made an arrangement on the possible further cooperation with representatives of the World Bank to ensure rule of law, independence of anti-corruption agencies, the creation of independent Anti-Corruption Court, the launch of the land market, healthcare and fiscal reforms, the real gas sector reform and the launch of affordable lending in Ukraine.
According to the press service of the politician, this was discussed on February 23 at a meeting of Zelensky with a delegation of the World Bank headed by World Bank Country Director for Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine Satu Kahkonen. The event was also attended by ex-Minister of Finance Oleksandr Danyliuk and former Minister of Economic Development and Trade of Ukraine Aivaras Abromavicius.
The meeting participants discussed the main objectives of Zelensky’s electoral program and his first steps if elected head of state.
“In addition, Zelensky stressed the need to minimize the influence of oligarchs on politics,” the press service said.
As reported, on February 21, Zelensky met with Danyliuk and Abromavicius to discuss the issues of building a liberal economy, Ukraine’s cooperation with the IMF and the issue of PrivatBank.
