Switzerland is to adopt a law that should speed up the return of former President Viktor Yanukovych’s assets to Ukraine, Reuters reports. The law, which may be adopted by the end of the year, will reportedly help lead to the restitution of Yanukovych’s illicit funds that are kept in Switzerland.
Swiss authorities are cooperating with countries including Haiti, Egypt, Tunisia, and Ukraine to return stolen assets that have been frozen following changes in power, according to Valentin Zellweger, the head of the Swiss Foreign Ministry's federal department of international law.
At the moment, Ukraine’s Prosecutor-General’s Office still has to provide sufficient evidence that would allow the return of Yanukovych’s frozen funds to Ukraine. The former president also had his accounts frozen in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands.
Ukraine's stockpiling of winter gas slower than last year -PM
KIEV, Aug 26 (Reuters) -- Ukraine's efforts to store natural gas for winter are running 1 billion cubic metres behind their pace last year, Prime Minister Arseny Yatseniuk said on Wednesday.
Ukraine has 14.1 billion cubic metres (bcm) of gas in underground storage, he said.
The country aims to store 18-19 bcm of gas before the winter heating season begins in mid-October.
"On this day last year, we had 1 billion more ... We're in talks with our Western partners to get short-term funding to pump gas," Yatseniuk said at a government meeting.
Ukraine suspended gas imports from Russia in July over pricing, leaving it dependent on domestic output and imports from Europe.
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) said it was considering a $300 million trade finance loan to state-run Naftogaz to help it buy gas.
The government has ordered Naftogaz to borrow $1 billion to create a fund to finance the purchase, transport and storage of gas.
Talks have been held not only with the EBRD, but also with the World Bank and International Monetary Fund.
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko will travel to Brussels on Thursday to meet European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker to discuss gas, among other topics.
Last week the Commission said it might be able to hold another round of ministerial talks with Russia and Ukraine on gas at the end of September.
Here is today's map of the security situation in eastern Ukraine, according to the National Security and Defense Council (CLICK TO ENLARGE):
