Donetsk, Apr 10 - DAN. Putting Ukrainian enterprises under external management was an answer to Ukrainian rule of lawlessness, docent of international economics department of Donetsk National University Master of Economics Andrey Gruzan told DAN.
"The blockade shows the world Poroshenko's inability to fulfil international agreements and protect his own interests. The longer the blockade stays, the more vulnerable his power becomes, as he portrays weakness in face of gangs violating the law."
Gruzan said the so-called 'ATO veterans' presented a threat to Ukrainian president, but he failed to foil their plans, legalizing their actions instead.
Thus putting Ukrainian enterprises operating in Donbass under external management was a response to transport blockade of the region imposed by Ukrainian authorities.
"A country which has 'first army in Europe', new police, national guard, numerous Interior Ministry, cannot restrain several hundreds of peace breakers, who block roads in Donbass. It undermines Poroshenko's reputation," the expert maintained.
Gruzan said the blockade was catastrophic for Ukraine itself and runs counter the Minsk Agreements.
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A new round of economic blockade of Donbass started in January 2017. Former participants of the offensive blocked railroad between Gorskoye and Zolotoye (LPR territory). The radicals said the aim was to interrupt trade with LPR. Later they blocked Svetlanovo station in the vicinity of Pervomaisk, the railroad tracks in the area of occupied Artyemovsk (DPR) and Yasinovataya-Skotovataya stretch.
Ukrainian Rada extremists supported the "trade blockade", while radicals said the drive shall be permanent.
On February 27, DPR and LPR Heads Alexander Zakharchenko and Igor Plotnitskiy warned Kiev that the Republics would put Ukrainian companies under receivership and halt coal supplies to Ukraine if the transport blockade was not lifted by 1 March. As Kiev failed to meet the requirements the external management was introduced at 43 Ukrainian enterprises.
Among the Ukrainian companies are such industrial giants as Enakievo Steel Plant and its Makeyevka branch, Khartsyzsk Pipe Plant, Yasinovsky Coking Chemistry Plant, Dokuchaevsk Flux-Dolomite Complex, Konzern Stirol, DTEK enterprises, DonetskStal Steel Plant, Komsomolets Donbassa mine, Zasyadtko mine, Zuivskaya thermal power station.
Viktor Medvedchuk, leader of 'Ukrainian choice – People's Right' movement, cited Ukrainian Federation of Metallurgists report showing that Donbass blockade will cut Ukraine's foreign exchange earnings by $2.5 billion. Ukraine's budget will lose 2.5-3 billion hryvnias.
The halt of coal export from Donbass to Ukraine forced Kiev authorities to declare an emergency in power industry. A number of major enterprises suspended operation.
Poroshenko's response came only in mid-March as he called an extraordinary meeting of the national security and defense council of Ukraine and sharply criticized radicals' actions. Though that very day he enacted the council's decision on full transport blockade of Donbass. *ot