The Verkhovna Rada has passed today the following draft bills to presently emerge as full-blown pieces of legislation:
Bill No.2386 - The Verkhovna Rada has passed the draft law “On measures aimed at debt settlement in the wholesale electricity market”. The main purpose of the draft law is to pay off receivables and payables of the SE “Enerhorynok” and finally shut down the enterprise. The following settlement mechanisms are purposed by the bill:
- reciprocal payments;
- extinguishment of debts;
- assignment of claims;
- establishment of a surcharge to the tariff on electricity distribution by local electricity supply networks towards distribution system operators (DSOs).
Bill No.3329-d (3329-д) – The parliament endorsed the bill “On amendments to the Tax Code of Ukraine and other laws of Ukraine regarding the additional support to taxpayers for the period of implementing measures aimed to prevent the emergence and spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19)” on the first reading. The bill aims to give further effect to tax benefits and administrative procedures facilitations until the Cabinet’s quarantine restrictions end. The bill purposes the following changes:
- further freeze on money penalties for tax infringements perpetrated during the “eclipse run” (i.e. the period starting from March 1, 2020 till the last calendar day of the quarantine-end month);
- further freeze on fines during the “eclipse run”;
- further break in payment of a single social security tax/contribution for solopreneurs and individuals engaged in independent professional activity until 31 May 2020;
- further freeze on documental and factual check-ups until the last calendar day of the quarantine-end month;
- lower requirements to minimum size of authorized capital of banks to now make UAH 200 mn;
- application of the law of Ukraine on simpler procedures for reorganization and capitalization of banks has been extended until 2024;
- other changes aimed to regulate administrative procedures in force during the run of the restrictive measures and afterwards.
Bill No.2769 – Lawgivers took the draft law “On amendments to Article 225 of the Election Code of Ukraine (regarding the size of the monetary deposit)”.
In a positive development, the parliament voted in the first reading to significantly lower the monetary deposit for candidates to oblast councils and councils in cities with more than 90 ths voters. The deposit size will be reduced by 90 percent – from 4 minimum monthly salaries for every 10 ths voters in the respective oblast or city to 4 minimum monthly salaries for every 90 ths voters.
There has been broad criticism that these deposits in the new election code are too high. Without this amendment, deposits in Ukraine’s capital and in other large cities would equal or exceed the size of the deposit required to run for president of Ukraine. Such a high deposit would act as a barrier to candidacy and potentially favour wealthy contenders.
During the discussion there was also expressed support to the idea that all candidates for other local councils down to amalgamated community level should pay reasonably low election deposits to stand for election.