The number of booked air tickets for the week increased by 32%, and the frequency of trips of Ukrainians to the place of work also increased by 16%, according to an Economic Recovery Tracker study conducted by the Centre for Economic Strategy (CES).
According to the center’s release on Friday, the week before the lockdown was introduced in mid-March 2020, the number of bookings was 35% lower.
“Now people go to work most often since the beginning of the pandemic. Attendance at jobs has increased by 16% in a week and is now the highest in the last year,” the CES said.
According to its data, visits to the mall and the use of transport increased by 6%. At the same time, the number of visitors to grocery stores and pharmacies increased by 4% and exceeds the indicator of the pre-quarantine period, the study said.
The number of purchased train tickets on RailwayBot has dropped by 11% over the past week, but is generally at a high level. In the same period last year, the railway began to open routes after the end of a strict lockdown in the country, the CES recalled.
The number of card payments through POS-terminals increased by 3.8% over the week.
“Transfers through Privat24 also began to increase by 7% during the last week and by 18.2% of the lowest mark when falling on the May holidays,” the report said.
Revenue of establishments in the last week increased by 13% and became more than in the middle of March 2020. Cafes and restaurants continue to open, increasing the total number of establishments by 10% per week.
In terms of open positions, their number has increased by 17% over the past week. The number of applicants for this period also increased by 7%. At the same time, during the last week, short-term room reservations decreased by 7%. Nevertheless, the number of booked apartments is kept at a high level and is now the same as in the same period in 2019, the Centre for Economic Strategy said.
For the study, the Centre for Economic Strategy uses data provided by PrivatBank and Privat24, as well as Google, Work.ua, Rabota.ua, Jooble, LUN, Ukrenergo, Dragon Capital, Opendatabot, Aviasales, RailwayBot, Poster, Booking.com, Airbnb, Transparent, Vrbo and Tripadvisor.
National bank of Ukraine’s official rates as of 31/05/21
Source: National Bank of Ukraine
Official rates of banking metals from national bank as of May 31
Source: Central Bank
Industrial production in Ukraine in April 2021 increased by 13% compared to April 2020, while in March the growth was 2.1%, in February and January – a fall of 4.6% and 4%, respectively, the State Statistics Service has said.
The agency clarified that, adjusted for the effect of calendar days, the growth of industrial production in the past month was slightly less – 12.5%.
The State Statistics Service indicates that from March this year, industrial production in April fell by 3.2%, however, taking into account the seasonal adjustment, it increased by 2.7%.
In processing industry in April 2021 versus April 2020, the growth was 18%, in extracting industry and quarrying – 6.9%, in the supply of electricity, gas, steam and conditioned air – 4.5%.
In general, over the four months of this year, industrial production in Ukraine increased by 1.5% compared to the same period last year, including in processing industry – by 1.6%, in the supply of electricity, gas, steam and conditioned air – by 4.2%, in extracting industry and quarrying – decreased by 0.5%.
As reported, industrial production in Ukraine in 2020 fell by 5.2% after falling by 0.5% a year earlier. At the same time, in December last year, for the first time since May 2019, its growth was recorded compared to the same period of the previous year – by 4.8%.
The Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) calls on the Federal Government and the German Democratic Parties to immediately impose a moratorium on Nord Stream 2.
“The Russian natural gas pipeline, intended to bypass eastern Europe and directly connect in Germany, is scheduled to be completed this summer. It has faced significant European and international condemnation for being a political weapon of the Kremlin intended to use energy supply to control Ukraine and other Eastern European countries,” the UWC’s press service reported.
According to the UWC, a moratorium should be used to: clarify the strategic implications of Nord Stream 2 – particularly with respect to the security of Ukraine and of the EU’s eastern member states; undertake a detailed life cycle assessment of the project and have its climate impacts examined by an independent body; push forward with a common European energy policy; resolve the transatlantic differences relating to Nord Stream 2; and discuss principal issues of controversy between the EU and the Kremlin and reassess Nord Stream 2 in that light of this discussion.
The UWC is emphasizing that Nord Stream 2: undermines European cohesion and transatlantic relations; conflicts with the new European and German climate goals; threatens the already precarious security of Ukraine; and runs counter to the aim of a common EU external energy policy.
“A moratorium for Nord Stream 2 represents a chance to arrive at a common European position. It would deliver a clear message to Russia’s leadership that there are consequences for continuing violations of international law and for undermining the rules-based European order,” UWC President Paul Grod said.
“UWC calls on all Ukrainian and Eastern European communities together with all friends of Ukraine to join the appeal and urge their respective governments to support the moratorium on Nord Stream 2,” the Congress said.
JSC Ukrzaliznytsia is launching a Kiev-Vienna train since June, which will pass through the territory of Ukraine, Austria and Hungary, the Ukrzaliznytsia’s press service reported on Sunday.
The restoration of international railway traffic became possible with the assistance of the railway authorities of Austria and Hungary thanks to the stabilization of the situation with the coronavirus pandemic.
“The first train from Kiev to Vienna will start on June 1, so Ukrzaliznytsia passengers have a great opportunity to start their summer with a visit to Austria. In the future, the train will run daily according to the following schedule: it will depart from the Central Kiev Station at 02:07 pm, will pass through Budapest (arrival at 8:20 am) and arrive in Vienna at 11:21 am the next day. In the opposite direction (from June 2) the train will depart at 4:42 pm and arrive in Kiev at 5:22 pm the next day,” Ukrzaliznytsia said.
Tickets for the Kiev – Vienna train can be purchased at the international ticket offices of the stations.
“Passengers can find out up-to-date information on the rules for the entry of Ukrainian citizens into the territory of Austria and Hungary, as well as citizens of these countries in Ukraine, through the official sources of the embassies of Ukraine in Austria and Hungary and the embassies of these countries in Ukraine,” Ukrzaliznytsia said.
