Ukrainian parliament adopts law on "de-oligarchization" of the country

It is characteristic that the draft of this document was introduced by President Zelensky as an urgent one. It implies the creation of a kind of register of oligarchs, which will include the names of citizens who simultaneously participate in political life, influence the media, who are the beneficiaries of monopoly enterprises and have assets of more than 1 million living wages (approximately $ 80 million). The National Security and Defense Council of the country will have the right to recognize a person as an oligarch if the Cabinet of Ministers, the National Bank, the Security Service or the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine apply to him.

According to the law, the persons involved in the register will be deprived of the right to sponsor political parties and rallies, to participate in the sale of state-owned enterprises worth $ 9.3 million. In addition, the "oligarchs" will be required to file declarations in the same way as officials. The law is expected to be valid for 10 years.

Moreover, the current Ukrainian oligarchs will be given time to turn into “ordinary businessmen”.

The Minister of Justice of Ukraine Denis Malyuska said that a "grace period" of 6 months had been specially invented for them. During this time, they will need to voluntarily get rid of all the criteria of an oligarch, and then they will not be included in the register, and they will not be subject to restrictions.

The minister added that in this matter Ukraine followed the American scenario, when "big businessmen" at the beginning of the 20th century entered the history of the United States as patrons of the arts.

It seems that this law has not yet caused much enthusiasm in Ukraine itself.

So, the Ukrainian economist Alyona Miroshnichenko is sure that this is "another scam" of the country's authorities:

“Now, at their own discretion, they will determine who our oligarch is. And the Servant of the People party will be financed by "voluntary donors", as it was during the election campaign of Zelensky and the parliament..."

And the Russian media manager Tina Kandelaki, who has extensive ties with Ukraine, was heartily happy:

""Hello, I am an oligarch". This is exactly how Ukrainian businessmen with a fortune of more than $ 85 million will have to present themselves at meetings with officials and heads of state-owned companies of Ukraine. The new law "on oligarchs" recognizes such large businessmen who participate in political life, and at the same time prohibits them from participating in this life. There is either a punishment or an amnesty.

All oligarchs will be put on special account and will not be allowed to participate in large-scale privatization. Wealthy people in Ukraine can now complain about discrimination based on their own wealth.

Welcome to Russia. We will accept everyone with money in Crimea..."