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deputies abstained.
Dragon Capital is investing $5mn for the purchase and renovation of a five-story office building to create a permanent home for the Kyiv School of Economics.​ With the first students expected in September, the building will have modern lecture halls, a conference hall, a student lounge and the capacity to train 600 students at a time. Located at Mykola Shpak 3, between Peremoha Avenue and the US Embassy, the 4,441 square meter building also will house the centre for Economic Strategy and VOX Ukraine.
IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva placed a call with President Zelensky on July 14 to discuss her "concerns about the pressures being put on the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU)."​ According to the IMF’s press release of the same day, Georgieva stated, "It is in the interest of Ukraine to preserve the independence of the NBU and it is also a requirement under the current IMF-supported program”. She urged President Zelensky "to stay the course of sound monetary and financial policies – those are key to stronger investment and inclusive growth."
Ukraine’s parliament approved on July 21 the “investment nanny” bill,
which offers assigns state assistance and oversight to large investment projects. The bill provides a 15-year state guarantee on foreign investments upon signing a direct special agreement with the Ukrainian government. The state assigns a manager to each project who is responsible for the successful preparation and fulfilment of the project. Among the changes since the president’s original proposal is lowering the required investment to $35mn, instead of $100mn. The foreign investments also gain an exemption from the profit tax, value-added tax and customs duties for new equipment imported to Ukraine.
Residence of leading anti-corruption activist set ablaze. Shabunin’s organization, the Anti-Corruption Centre, said on July 23 the fire was a murder attempt on him and his family. ​The suburban Kyiv residence of Vitaliy Shabunin, a leading anti-corruption activist, was attacked with an explosive and set on fire the night of July 22, destroying its roof and other parts. No one was injured in the incident, as Shabunin said he wasn’t home with his family and his parents, the owners of the residence, were able to flee. Shabunin said the fire was certainly not an accident. “Particularly for Avakov’s experts: exactly two weeks ago, the natural gas service reviewed our meters and all connections,” Shabunin wrote on his Facebook page in his first account, referring to Internal Affairs Minister Arsen Avakov. The police opened a criminal case for the deliberate destruction of property by arson.
Parliament to review procurement requirements, drawing E.U. criticism.
Ukraine’s parliament included in its agenda for the July 21 special session a bill that would impose requirements on state procurements for the products of domestic manufacturers of machinery and parts. By setting such requirements, Bill No. 3739 aims to create the preconditions for stable development and modernization of domestic industry, according to its text. Minimum domestic procurements would be 25%-45% in 2021 and 40%-60% in 2024, according to the legislation. It doesn’t apply to all procurements of domestically produced machinery and parts, but only those in the spheres of energy, utilities and maintenance and transport. The bill’s sponsors, led by MPs from The People’s Servant and Fatherland parties, claim the measure will add 3.9pp to GDP annually and improve the nation’s balance of payments in the mid-term. “The
18​ UKRAINE Country Report​ August 2020 ​ ​www.intellinews.com