KIEV, Sept. 28 – President Viktor Yanukovych has submitted to Parliament a bill easing punishments for economic crimes.

Andriy Portnov, a presidential advisor on judicial matters, in a commentary on the president's initiative, said that the bill suggests abolishing imprisonment for economic crimes.

According to Portnov, the president's amendments to Ukraine's Criminal Code and the Criminal Procedure Code, as well as the Code of Administrative Offences envisage replacing imprisonment with fines no smaller than the value of the damage caused.