Couriers of food delivery company Glovo wait for their orders near the Ocean Plaza shopping mall on March 23, 2020. Amid the economic shock caused by COVID-19 quarantine measures that will now last until April 24, the Ukrainian parliament has adopted legislation aimed at providing businesses with economic relief, but experts warned it might not be enough to tackle the crisis.
The State Customs Service has dismissed half of its office directors. Almost all of the senior staff dismissed were heads in charge of regional offices. The Finance Ministry stated that a panel of the State Customs Service of Ukraine decided on Friday, May 15, to terminate the duties of regional heads for Zakarpatska, Azovska, Podilska, Poliska, Pivnichna Slobozhanska and the Bukovynska customs offices. The head for energy was also dismissed. Moreover, “A warning about subsequent dismissal was handed to the head of Odesa customs office,” reads part of a Finance Ministry statement cited by Interfax-Ukraine on May 18.
Minister of Finance Serhiy Marchenko was quoted as saying: “A few weeks ago, at the meeting of the panel where all of you were present, I did not only speak about the need for changes in the customs system. I announced my expectations of the reform and set specific tasks for you. Today’s meeting of the panel is no longer about plans and tasks, but about real results, which are absent so far. Therefore, according to the results of this meeting of the panel, some 50% of the heads of customs offices will be dismissed.”
