“Next week, we shall appoint minister of justice, and I believe from next week we shall begin issuing passports of the Donetsk People’s Republic,” he said.

NOVOZAVODSK /Donetsk region/, October 18. /TASS/. The self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic may begin issuing passports next week, the republic’s Prime Minister Alexander Zakharchenko said on Saturday.

The republic’s ministry of finances and incomes has begun working already, he said.

The DPR’s mail is expected to begin functioning next week. It will be involved in paying out pensions.

Donetsk Republic to remove checkpoints next week

Authorities of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) from the coming week will begin removing checkpoints in the republic’s rear to make easier communication between cities, Zakharchenko said.

“It is necessary for us to have regular communication between cities, to restore trade, so that the economy in the republic worked, so that the region returned to life,” he said during a meeting with the constituency in the town of Novozavodsk.

Multi-currency zone

Authorities of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) consider organisation of a multi-currency zone, Zakharchenko said on Saturday.

Settlements in the zone will use “both dollars, euros, hryvnias, roubles, and yuans,” he said.

A final decision is not made yet, he said, but in case of a multi-currency zone, the DPR “will protect itself from washing out of cash.

Donetsk republic sets up border protection

Aleksandr Zakharchenko announced that the DPR would establish its border protection service.

“The border guard service started operatig a week ago. In the coming days the border guards are beginning to perform their duties,” Zakharchenko said in Novoazovsk where he arrived on Saturday to meet with the city’s residents. “The services (border protection and customs) have been set up with the staff up to 1,500.

Donetsk republic to adopt Moscow time

DNR plans to adjust its clocks to Moscow standard time, Zakharchenko said.

“We will transit to our own time zone and will adopt it,” Zakharchenko said. “We will welcome in the New Year by Moscow standard time.”

At present, local time in Kiev - the same time zone as in the DPR - is one hour behind Moscow time.