Ukraine’s Zelensky aims to ram through reforms he needs to unlock EU aid

Ukraine's Parliament will vote on a flurry of laws this week to secure further financing from the European Union and International Monetary Fund.



At stake is US$4.3 billion linked to reforms demanded by the foreign backers, lawmaker Yaroslav Zheleznyak said in a post on Telegram.



The 16 Bills, which cover everything from labour standards to updated anti-money laundering rules, are likely to pass.



The legislation most relevant to unlocking the funding will face votes through Oct 14, according to a parliamentary schedule.



The short notice has left Members of Parliament reading up on the laws "like bad students the night before a test," according to opposition lawmaker Volodymyr Ariev.



The urgency is a result of Ukraine's foreign donors getting tougher in their demands that Kyiv crack down on graft and improve transparency of spending.



Scrutiny has grown following a series of corruption scandals over the past year featuring key politicians, among them allies of President Volodymyr Zelensky.