Policy

Bills on procurement and parcels: what the Rada must pass before the IMF mission

During President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s meeting with the “Servant of the People” faction, discussions focused not only on the war and the peace process, but also on economic challenges, cooperation with the IMF, and the need for a united vote on important bills.

This was reported by MP Olha Vasylevska-Smahliuk and faction leader Davyd Arakhamia, according to "Komersant Ukrainian"

The president’s meeting with the faction took place against the backdrop of a difficult situation for the country: the war is ongoing, Ukraine needs stable international financial support, and the Verkhovna Rada must adopt the decisions necessary for cooperation with partners.

According to Arakhamia, the next six months must be a period of maximum focus. Among the priorities are the military, payments to citizens, energy, the economy, and the stable functioning of state institutions.

What bills were discussed

Olga Vasylevska-Smaglyuk reported that there is an agreement ahead of the International Monetary Fund mission to demonstrate unity regarding draft laws on procurement and on parcels.

These are initiatives crucial for fulfilling Ukraine’s commitments to international partners and ensuring stable state financing.

“Regarding the votes in the Verkhovna Rada, there is an agreement to demonstrate unity before the IMF mission regarding the draft laws on procurement and on parcels (what is enshrined in the Customs Code), and we’ll see what happens next. There are still no votes on the SEPA bill because, unfortunately, no one has conveyed the importance of this law to the President. I will work on this,” Vasylevska-Smaglyuk said.

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What is SEPA and why is it important

SEPA is a single euro payments area that allows for faster, cheaper, and more convenient transfers between participating countries.

For Ukraine, integration into SEPA is important for several reasons:

• cheaper international transfers for citizens and businesses;
• simplified financial transactions with the EU;
• support for European integration;
• convenience for exporters and importers;
• alignment of the Ukrainian financial system with European regulations.

If parliament fails to secure the votes needed for these legislative changes, it could slow down Ukraine’s financial integration with the EU.

The IMF and Political Unity

The International Monetary Fund is one of Ukraine’s key financial partners during the war. Ahead of IMF missions, the Ukrainian government traditionally must demonstrate compliance with structural commitments, the ability to pass necessary laws, and political control over processes.

That is why the unity of the ruling faction around economic bills has not only domestic but also international significance.

For partners, this signals that Ukraine is capable of fulfilling its commitments even in the midst of war.

Economic challenges for the coming months

Arakhamia noted that the meeting addressed challenges facing the economy. These may pertain to several areas:

• military funding;
• budget stability;
• social benefits;
• the operation of the power grid;
• business recovery;
• international aid;
• tax and customs changes;
• support for local self-government.

All of this is directly linked to the work of the Verkhovna Rada, which must pass laws regarding the budget, international programs, European integration, and economic stability.

Were personnel issues discussed?

According to Vasylevska-Smaglyuk, personnel issues were not discussed at the meeting.

At the same time, the MP noted that the president listened to questions from MPs regarding regional administration heads, mayors, issues concerning internally displaced persons, and other topics of concern to parliamentarians.

“It is worth noting once again that the President very patiently listened to MPs’ questions regarding dissatisfaction with regional administration heads, mayors, IDP issues, and so on—which, generally speaking, are not his priorities right now, during the war,” she concluded.

However, according to her, Zelenskyy’s main focus remains the war and the state’s strategic objectives.

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Bills on procurement and parcels: what the Rada must pass before the IMF mission