On August 18, 2016, the Council for Financial Stability held its regular meeting chaired by Minister of Finance Oleksandr Danyliuk. The meeting was attended by Head of the National Bank Valeriya Gontareva, heads of the national commissions regulating the financial market Tymur Khromaev and Igor Pashko as well as by managing director of the State Deposit Fund Kostiantyn Vorushylin.

The members of the Council mentioned positive trends in the economic recovery of Ukraine. The GDP growth is speeding up, inflation stays within expected limits, the amount of citizens’ bank savings is on the way of growth as well.

The meeting participants also emphasized that cooperation with the IMF must be resumed as fast as possible to make these trends irreversible. They also discussed the importance of transferring the profit of the National Bank to the state budget of Ukraine, which is crucial for its successful execution. Valeriya Gontareva reassured the meeting participants that the National Bank is absolutely ready to transfer its profit for 2015 amounting 38.164 billion hryvnas to the state budget. To make it, though, the Council of the National Bank must be appointed which is authorized to approve the financial report of the National Bank.

The meeting participants also discussed the resumption of credit supply for the economy of Ukraine in 2017. Presently, this is impossible due to the inoperable judicial system, missing regulations enhancing the rights of creditors as well as high debts of most of big companies. The Council members criticized the low effectiveness of law enforcement agencies in challenging the shareholders and top managers of bankrupt banks. The common practice of the State Enforcement Service selling pawned property at significantly reduced prices requires special attention as well.

Another issue discussed at the meeting was the necessity to enhance the financial and institutional capacities of the State Deposit Fund. The National Bank and the Ministry of Finance of Ukraine expressed their readiness to provide financial support to the State Deposit Fund, should run out of funds to pay compensations to savers at bankrupt banks. The National Bank’s opinion is that the need for additional funding related to this issue will be minimal. The Council members agreed that the priority of the State Deposit Fund in the coming years should be the sale of assets. They proposed to discuss the strategic issues related to the further reform of the deposit insurance system at the next meeting of the Council in October.

The Council for Financial Stability stressed the necessity to adopt a law which should change the appointment principles of the supervisory boards at state-owned banks. Most members of the supervisory boards should be independent individuals selected in a contest procedure. It was also stressed that the steps stipulated in the Development Strategy for state-owned banks must be implemented in full scope.

Council for Financial Stability: key facts

• The Council for Financial Stability was created in March of 2015 according to a Presidential decree;

• The members of the Council are the Head of the National Bank, the Minister of Finance (co-chairpersons), the Head of the National Securities and Stock Market Commission, the Head of the National Commission for the State Regulation of the Market for Financial Services, the Managing Director of the State Deposit Fund, the Deputy Head of the National Bank and the Deputy Minister of Finance;

• The Council is a platform for professional discussions about system risks affecting the financial stability of Ukraine;

• The Council held 4 meetings in 2016;

• The next meeting of the Council is scheduled for October 2016;

• In the beginning of May 2016, the Council published its first report.