Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal believes that the protection of the rights and interests of Ukrainian business abroad should become a daily line of work for diplomatic institutions.
“Ukrainian business, which has won a place in the markets of the world’s countries, also needs support. This should become a daily line of work for diplomatic services. I urge you to be active and persistent in protecting our business,” the government’s press service said, citing Shmyhal.
The prime minister said that the role of every Ukrainian diplomat in promoting the economic interests of Ukraine in the world is extremely important, since in a pandemic, any business needs support and assistance.
The head of government also said that an equally important area of work of the diplomatic services is to attract foreign direct investment into the Ukrainian economy.
According to him, the government has approved priority investment projects in a number of industries, such as energy, transport, processing industry.
“Such projects can be implemented with the involvement of investors, in particular on the terms of public-private partnership, international technical assistance or at the expense of credit funds and the budget. It is necessary for investors to create favorable conditions for them to confidently go to Ukraine. And they take the first step through diplomatic services,” Shmyhal said.
The prime minister said that work is underway on the 2030 National Economic Strategy, which contains the vectors of Ukraine’s development, including IT and Research and Development.
“The field of development, innovation and technology in Ukraine has significant potential. We have enough young scientists who need to be presented with worthy projects and challenges. Scientists must have opportunities to implement their potential. We, as the government, are ready to lend a shoulder and provide such opportunities. But partner experience and assistance of diplomats abroad are also needed,” Shmyhal said.
The State Budget of Ukraine for 2021 provides for an increase in funding for medicine, education and science, as well as the security and defense sector, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
“Firstly, this is money for medicine. Almost UAH 160 billion. It is the most during the years of Ukraine’s independence. … We have raised salaries for doctors by 30%, but we all understand that this is not enough, so we strive to continue increasing their salaries in 2021,” Zelensky said in his vlog posted on his official Telegram channel on Friday night.
We also plan to equip 210 ER departments and 450 new ambulances. Supplemental payments for doctors who fight COVID-19 will be continued.
Next year education and science will receive UAH 26 billion more, and in total almost UAH 170 billion will be allocated for their development. In particular, the salaries of educators will increase by 20%.
As for defense expenditures, the budget of the Ministry of Defense in 2017 amounted to UAH 69 billion, in 2018 – UAH 86 billion, in 2019 – UAH 102 billion, and in 2021 it will reach over UAH 117 billion.
In general, the budget for the security and defense sphere, including expenditures on intelligence, the State Border Guard Service and the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, amounted to more than UAH 267 billion.
Also, according to the president, starting from January 1 next year, the minimum wage will increase to UAH 6,000, and during the year it will increase to UAH 6,500.
The President thanked MPs from the Servant of the People party and other political forces for supporting the state budget and passing a number of other important laws. In particular, Zelensky noted the adoption by the Verkhovna Rada of a law on the restoration of the powers of the National Agency for Corruption Prevention, which were previously revoked by a decision of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine.
The total amount of applications for budgetary value added tax (VAT) refunds in December exceeds UAH 14 billion, and it will be financed on time, said head of the State Tax Service Oleksiy Liubchenko.
“In December, we have full understanding that the application for UAH 14.1 billion will be given to payers, which didn’t happen in December 2019,” Liubchenko said on the air of Savik Shuster’s program Freedom of Speech (Svoboda Slova) on Friday.
He noted that following the results of 11 months of this year, applications for budgetary VAT refunds amounted to UAH 122.7 billion, while UAH 128 billion was reimbursed during this period.
The Verkhovna Rada has ratified the protocol with amendments to the convention with Austria for avoidance of double taxation and prevention of tax evasion with respect to taxes on income and property.
The Ministry of Finance said on its website the protocol provides for an increase in the general tax rate of dividends from 10% to 15% and interest from 2% to 5%.
“Increased were also the rates of royalties paid for the use of any copyright on scientific work, patent, etc. from 0% to 5%, for the use of copyright on literary works or works of art from 5% to 10%,” the Ministry of Finance said.
In addition to the increase in rates, it is envisaged to supplement the convention with new articles on limiting the possibility of applying the preferential provisions of the convention, if the main purpose is to obtain such benefits, and on expanding the ability of the competent authorities of Austria and Ukraine to exchange tax information.
“These changes and rates correspond to the general practice of Ukraine’s conclusion of such agreements and protocols to them with other countries of the world – similar rates are contained in most of the conventions and protocols to them, concluded by our state,” the ministry explained.
In 2020, Ukrainian agricultural producers harvested 65.4 million tonnes of cereals and legumes from an area of 15.3 million hectares. The operational data of the regions on the results of the harvesting campaign was announced on Tuesday by Minister of Development of Economy, Trade and Agriculture Ihor Petrashko.
According to a report on the ministry’s website, in particular, 25.1 million tonnes of wheat from 6.6 million hectares and 29.8 million tonnes of corn from 5.3 million hectares were harvested.
According to the State Statistics Service, in 2019 Ukraine harvested 75.1 million tonnes of cereals and legumes (70.1 million tonnes in 2018), of which 28.3 million tonnes of wheat (24.6 million tonnes) and 35.9 million tonnes of corn (35.8 million tonnes a year earlier).
The National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) has excluded from the State Register of Financial Institutions such companies as׃ Credit Institution Credit Commerce LLC, Financial Company Monopolium Finance LLC, Finance and Credit Group Chaika LLC on the basis of their applications.
As reported on the regulator’s website, the relevant decisions were made by the NBU Committee on Supervision and Regulation of Non-Bank Financial Services Markets at a meeting on December 11, 2020.
According to the NBU, Credit Commerce had one license to issue loans, financial loans as well. As of September 30, 2020, the volume of assets of this institution was UAH 10.7 million, or 0.006% of the total assets of financial companies.
Monopolium Finance had three licenses: for the provision of guarantees and sureties, loans, financial loans, as well as factoring services. The licenses were revoked at a committee meeting on November 20. The company’s assets amounted to UAH 403.9 million, or 0.2% of the total assets of financial companies.
Finance and Credit Group Chaika had one license for issuing loans, including financial ones. The license was revoked on July 30, the volume of assets is UAH 5.9 million, or 0.003% of the total assets of financial companies.
