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new Finance Minister and Health Minister amid the snowballing coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis​. On March 30, the Rada appointed Serhiy Marchenko as Finance Minister. The motion was backed by 256 parliamentarians, while the necessary number of votes for the appointment was 226. Marchenko will replace Ihor Umansky, who was appointed Finance Minister on March 4, 2020. Marchenko worked as Deputy Finance Minister in 2016-2018 and Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration in 2018-2019. He ran for early parliamentary elections in 2019 on the list of the Ukrainian Strategy Party led by former Prime Minister of Ukraine Volodymyr Groysman, according to news agency Interfax. The Rada also supported the appointment of Maksym Stepanov as Health Minister. The motion was supported by 246 MPs. Stepanov headed Odesa's Regional State Administration until April 10, 2019, when he was dismissed by the fifth President of Ukraine, Petro Poroshenko, during the latter's presidential campaign. This triggered a conflict and a blame game between them. Stepanov has a medical degree. He worked for several commercial entities, including state-owned monopoly Naftogazand the State Tax Administration of Ukraine. In 2008-2010, he worked as head of Odesa Regional State Administration. From 2011, he headed the state-run Ukraina Polygraph Combine, which specialises in printing passports, driving licences and excise labels.
In a policy reversal, the government may buy shares in private companies to save them​, the Cabinet of Ministers says in the new budget bill. Shares would be paid with government bonds.
Ukraine closed its land borders on March 25 night ​for crossings by bus, car and train. The same day thousands of Ukrainians backed up at Polish border points, waiting to cross into Ukraine. Many feared the border could be closed for longer than one month, reports Reuters. In the two weeks since President Zelenskiy asked Ukrainians to come home, more than half a million have made the trip, estimates the President’s office.
A State of emergency decision was approved by cabinet on March 25 but has not been implemented​. Implementing a state of emergency or curfew isn’t necessary in Ukraine at the moment, Internal Affairs Minister Arsen Avakov said in a television interview on March 28. Instead, restrictions related to the quarantine must be upheld, he said. That includes the shutting of all retail outlets, restaurants, and recreational/entertainment centres being closed, as well as schools and educational institutions, until at least April 24. The quarantine also forbids more than two workers, or customers, from being in one public space at any point. As of noon, March 30, 11 people have died in Ukraine.
The State Bureau of Investigations (DBR) opened a criminal case on Mar. 30 against People’s Servant MP Geo Leros for publishing on the Internet allegedly incriminating videos clips of Denys Yermak,​ the brother of Andriy Yermak, the head of the President’s Office. The case was opened a day after Andriy Yermak said he would file complaints with the DBR and Security Service of Ukraine. The case involves the alleged crimes of fraud, interfering in the activity of a state official, the disclosure of state secrets and abuse of authority.
Multinational companies in Ukraine are suspending domestic and international travel, limiting visitor access and cleaning common office areas ​as often as once an hour, according to a survey by Interfax-Ukraine that
14​ UKRAINE Country Report​ April 2018 ​ ​www.intellinews.com