The amount owed is huge – 3.8 million UAH in a very poor region where mines (including illegal “kopanki”) are often the only work available.

Chornobyl workers are not being paid, while the enterprises within the Exclusion Zone are not getting all the money needed for basic needs. The need for proper funding at this, of all sites, needs no explanation

A number of NGOs, including those monitoring corruption in Ukraine, have addressed an open appeal to the President asking him to take immediate measures to safeguard public procurement procedure

Forbes.ua has investigated how 635 million UAH of public funding was spent on President Yanukovych: on hunting, fishing, cars, reception of guests and other expenses. None on open tender, and with absolutely no transparency

A court in Yenakiyevo in the Donetsk oblast has sentenced the organizer of a “kopanka” or illegal mine in which six men died after an explosion on 29 February 2012 to eight years’ imprisonment.

During the year a group of NGOs investigated how measures from the anti-corruption programme were being carried out. On 28 November they announced their conclusion – that the programme exists only on paper.

In Transparency International’s annual Corruption Perception Index for 2012 scores lower than 5.0 indicate that a country’s citizens see the country and its officials as highly corrupt. Ukraine’s score was 2.6, one down from 2011

For the fourth year in a row there has been a narrowing of the divide in terms of poverty between city and rural area. This, unfortunately, is because people in urban areas are becoming poorer

They are demanding payment of their pensions as per the law on victims of the Chornobyl Disaster and withdrawal of the draft Social Code of Ukraine registered in parliament

Around 100 former Chornobyl clean-up workers have set up a tent camp outside the Luhansk Regional State Administration. They are protesting against a reduction in social benefits.

Wage arrears in Ukraine increased in July by 2.5% as against June, amounting to 986 million UAH. According to the State Statistical Administration, since the beginning of 2012 the rate has not changed, while it states that over the last year it decreased by 15.8%.

“The 10% of the poorest Ukrainians get 2% of the system of benefits, while the 10% who are most well-up get 22%”.

Spokesperson Peter Stano says that the amendments “do not comply with the future Association Agreement and international principles. Ukrainian analysts believe that the money from public procurement could be used to support the ruling party at the elections

Oleksy Khmara, Head of TORO, the contact group for Transparency International in Ukraine. has announced his resignation from the National Anti-Corruption Committee under the President

In 2012 tenders have already been held for 11.75 million UAH for repairs to Donetsk courts. No other region in the country has received similar funding for repairs to local courts.

President Yanukovych has signed a law which removes huge amounts of public funding from the tender process and therefore from the public eye. In so doing he ignored repeated warnings from civic organizations regarding the green light this would give corruption.

“If the President signs this draft bill, that means he will give his blessing to corruption in Ukraine. There will be no need for any anti-corruption bodies then. There will be nothing to monitor, corruption will be legalized”.

The Head of TORO, Transparency International’s contact group, Oleksy Khmara has warned that he is suspending his engagement in both the National Anti-Corruption Committee and another committee under the President, since neither they nor the President are doing anything

TORO, the contact group for Transparency International in Ukraine has called on the President to refuse to sign a law allowing corruption with tenders.

The latest tragedy involving illegal mines took place during the night of 12 July with two men from Krasny Luch receiving burns to 90% of their body and burns to the respiratory tract. They died on 16 July, largely because neither men had families able to ensure they received vital medication.