China expects Ukraine to provide state guarantees for investing $600 million in the construction of a new unit at Sloviansk thermal power plant (TPP, PJSC Donbasenergo), Liu Jun, the adviser for trade and economic issues at the Embassy of China in Ukraine, has said.
“The Chinese side is ready to invest more than $600 million in this project, provided that the Ukrainian side provides state guarantees,” he said in an exclusive interview with Interfax-Ukraine.
Jun recalled that the investment agreement between Dongfang Electric International Corporation (DEIC) and Donbasenergo for the joint implementation of the project was signed in December 2018.
“The construction of the sixth power unit is a new serious potential joint project between Ukraine and China. I am sure that its implementation will bring great benefits for both the Ukrainian people and Chinese enterprises,” he said.
As reported, the contract between DEIC and Donbasenergo provides for the construction of power units Nos. 6A and 6B of 330 MW each at Sloviansk TPP using CFB technology (burning solid fuel in a circulating fluidized bed).
The contract price is $684.296 million. Financing for the reconstruction foresees 70% of funds of a credit from a Chinese bank.
On February, 22 and 23 in the «Kyivan Rus Park» seeing off Winter according to ancient traditions in a large scale and with rampant fun will take place.
Tipsy fun, tasty dishes prepared on open fire, horse-trick performances, rites, games, round dances, horse riding, museums and expositions will be waiting for the guests.
This and even more will be waiting for the guests during two days in a real, live medieval city!
Ancient Kyiv opens at 10:00. The program starts at 13:30.
The ticket price: a full adult ticket – 190 UAH, for pensioners and students – 150 UAH, for schoolchildren – 80 UAH, for preschool children – for free.
Ancient Kyiv in the «Kyivan Rus Park» is located in Kyiv region, Obukhiv district, the vill. Kopachiv. You can go by your own car or public transport from the «Vydubychi» metro station.
Details on the website www.parkkyivrus.com
The Interfax subscribers can save money with the “openbusiness-20” promo code for a 20%-discount for a full price adult ticket to the Principality of Kyivan Rus:
– by previous order by tel.: +38 044 461-99-37, +38 050 385-20-35
– or at the cash desk at the entrance to the «Kyivan Rus Park».
National bank of Ukraine’s official rates as of 19/02/20
Source: National Bank of Ukraine
Official rates of banking metals from national bank as of February 19
One troy ounce=31.10 grams
The State Automobile Roads Agency of Ukraine, also known as Ukravtodor, in 2020-2021 seeks to raise Ukraine’s score in the Global Competitiveness Report of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in the quality of roads by 10-15 positions compared with the score for 2019 (114 rank).
Ukravtodor Heaad Oleksandr Kubrakov presented these plans on his Facebook page after a roundtable in the American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine.
“In fact, there are about 15 major market players, 60 or more auction participants in the projects of IFIs [international financial institutions], stable financing from the Road Fund (UAH 31.5 billion) and additional financing under government guarantees, as well as from funds that Ukraine received under the award of the Arbitration Institute of the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce. We are working on what is needed to improve both perception and reality – liberalization of pricing, typical tender documentation and resistance to “tender trolls,” he said.
According to the data released by Kubrakov, in 2019, four companies were the leaders in the number of complaints to the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine, with a total of 720 complaints.
“We are waiting for the certification of WiM systems and initiate the signing of the Memorandum of Virtue in the field of freight transportation. I am sure that Ukrainian roads cannot be saved with fines and restrictions alone. We need an active position of all market players,” the head of the agency added.
Ukrainian banks in the fourth quarter of 2019 reduced interest rates on hryvnia loans for businesses by 2.4 percentage points (p.p.), to 15.7% per annum, following a reduction in the refinancing rate by the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU). According to the banking sector survey posted on the National Bank’s website, the reduction in the cost of hryvnia loans for individuals was less noticeable: in the fourth quarter of 2019 the rates fell by 0.5 percentage points, to 33.6% per annum.
At the same time, according to the document, the rates on foreign currency loans to business entities are at a historically low level of 4.6% in December 2019.
The report also notes that the rates on deposits of individuals began to decline only in December, following the reduction in rates by state banks.
“During the year, state banks kept deposit rates at a high level due to inertia in the management of liabilities and assets and legal risks of PrivatBank,” the document says.
So, according to the report, the value of 12-month hryvnia deposits of individuals in the fourth quarter of 2019 decreased by 0.7 percentage points, to 15.1% per annum, in January 2020 it continued to decline by 1.1 percentage points, and in the first week of February by another 1 percentage point, to 13% per annum.
At the same time, the value of 12-month household deposits in U.S. dollars for the fourth quarter of 2019 decreased by 0.6 percentage points, to 2.6% per annum, and in 2020 by another 0.7 percentage points.
In addition, according to the document, the cost of hryvnia funds of corporations during the fourth quarter of 2019 fell by 2.7 percentage points, to 10.3% per annum.
