MP expulsion
The pro-presidential Servant of the People faction in parliament has expelled its member, MP Geo Leros over his criticism of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The faction did not convene a meeting but collected over 150 signatures in favour of this decision, LB.ua has learnt from sources.
Exclusive: Leros told LB.ua that he was not going to join other factions or groups. He said that some of his faction colleagues told him that they shared his views but signed the petition under pressure.
Speaking from the parliament rostrum earlier in the day, Leros accused Zelenskyy of "leasing out the country to oligarchs" and "morphing with the old system". In March, Leros posted videos allegedly implicating Denys Yermak, the brother of the presidential chief of staff, in trading state posts.
Court
The High Judicial Council has refused to dismiss the head of the Kyiv district administrative court, Pavlo Vovk, whose sacking was initiated by the Prosecutor-General's Office and the National Anticorruption Bureau of Ukraine. The PGO's motion was sent back because Vovk was not properly serve a notice of suspicion.
Earlier today, the NABU published new recordings allegedly exposing Vovk's connections with the High Judicial Council which he may have used for influence peddling.
NABU chief Artem Sytnyk has said that the Constitutional Court's conclusion that his appointment was illegal will not affect the work of the Bureau and will not ensue his dismissal.
Economy
First deputy speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk has said that Economy Ministers Ihor Petrashko and Finance Minister Serhiy Marchenko may be dismissed soon. Final decision is expected to be made after 15 September when the government will present its draft budget to parliament.
According to Petrashko, Ukraine and Turkey plan to reset free trade talks. If the deal is signed after all, annual trade between the two countries may reach $10bn.
The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Agriculture has again adjusted its grain harvest forecast for this year from 70m tonnes to 68m tonnes because of drought.
Coronavirus
By the morning of 1 September, Ukraine has registered 2,088 new Covid-19 infections. The total count has now reached 123,303 cases, including 2,605 lethal ones.
Envoy reshuffle
President Zelenskyy has dismissed Ihor Tumasov as Ukraine's ambassador to Peru. Tumasov has held the post since June 2018.
Zelenskyy dismissed Vadym Prystayko as head of the Euro-Atlantic integration coordination commission and appointed Deputy Prime Minister for EU and Euro-Atlantic Integration Oleha Stefanishyna to the post.
Crime
Police have detained a "suspicious-looking" man in the government quarters in Kyiv, who turned out to be carrying a grenade. The man was detained and bomb experts were called in to check the area.
Police have found a meth lab in the Veterinary University in Lviv. It was run by a university laboratory head assisted by a hookah bar owner, who handled the distribution, and his two employees.
Back to school
A new school year began in all Ukraine's quarantine zones, except the red one. Schools have to ensure safe distance between students, use of face masks and antiseptics.