Business news from Ukraine

Business news from Ukraine

Polish farmers plan to resume blocking trucks at Korchova-Krakivets checkpoint

Polish protesters plan to resume blocking trucks in the direction of the checkpoint “Korchova-Krakovec” from March 13, the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine (SBGS) reports. “On March 13, protesters plan to resume blocking trucks in the direction of the checkpoint “Korchova-Krakovets”,” the State Border Service said in a message in the Telegram channel on Monday.

The message also states that from today from “9.00 protesters will not let trucks through the checkpoint “Ugrinov” in the direction of Poland. At the exit from Poland will be allowed 4 trucks every hour”. Earlier this was reported by the speaker of the state Border service Andrey Demchenko on the air of the national telethon.

“In the direction of checkpoints “Dorogusk-Yagodin”, “Zosin-Ustilug”, “Dolgobichiv-Ugrinov”, “Hrebene – Rava-Russkaya”, “Medica-Shegini” restriction of movement for cargo vehicles continues”, – noted in the message of the state Border service.

“The movement of passenger vehicles and buses in all directions is not limited”, – stated in the message.

As reported with reference to Demchenko, on the night of March 8-9 Polish farmers stopped blocking the direction through the checkpoint “Korchova-Krakovets”, and on it since then significantly increased the load, there also formed queues. “Over these last days we see the intensity of traffic exactly at this checkpoint… That is, the intensity there is quite high with the possibility of crossing the border in both directions. But, of course, and in this direction the queue remains: as of this morning it is about 600 trucks,” – said Demchenko.

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Ukraine’s Antimonopoly Committee has revealed grounds for banning acquisition of mobile operator lifecell by French NJJ

The Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine (AMCU) has identified grounds for banning the acquisition of control over lifecell group by French billionaire Xavier Niel’s DVL Telecom, a member of NJJ group.

In particular, the antitrust agency believes that it is necessary to check the relationship of control of lifecell itself and the parent company Turkcell with the person to whom the decision of the national security and defense Council of Ukraine applied personal special economic and other restrictive measures (sanctions).

“When considering applications for the acquisition of control over the group “Lifecell” by the company “DVL Telecom” arose the need to verify the relationship of control of the participants of the concentration, in particular the group “Lifecell” and the group “Turkcell” with the person to whom the personal special economic and other restrictive measures (sanctions) applied by the decision of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine,” – said the press service of the AMCU on Monday.

The report states that, having considered the applications on the acquisition of control by DVL Telecom over Lifecell LLC, Global Bilgi LLC and Ukrtauer LLC (lifecell group), the AMCU has identified grounds for banning the said concentrations.

“Given that the concentrations in the form of acquisition by DVL Telecom of control over Lifecell LLC, Ukrtauer LLC and Global Bilgi LLC constitute a single transaction and will take place under a single sale and purchase agreement, a separate authorization for DVL Telecom’s acquisition of control over Global Bilgi LLC cannot be granted by the Committee either,” the AMCU notes.

Considering the above, on March 7, 2024, the Committee again started consideration of the concentration cases in the form of acquisition by DVL Telecom of control over Lifesell, Global Bilgi and Ukrtauer LLC. At the same time began consideration of the case on concerted actions, which are directly related to the implementation of these concentrations, specified in the press service.

Earlier it was reported that at the meeting on March 7 AMCU allowed DVL Telecom to acquire control over Datagroup Holding Limited (“Datagroup-Volya”). In addition, the antimonopoly agency allowed concerted actions between NJJ UPAM (Paris, France), Lorimer II Ventures Limited (Nicosia, Cyprus), DVL Telecom (Paris, France) and a natural person – citizen of Ukraine in the form of implementation of provisions on refraining from competition, provided by Section 19 of the shareholders’ agreement, which will be concluded between these entities for a period of five years.

On December 29, 2023, Turkcell, a Turkish company, signed an agreement to transfer 100% of the shares, as well as all rights and debts of Lifecell LLC (TM lifecell), Ukraine’s third largest mobile operator, including contact center outsourcing company Global Bilgi LLC and tower rental service provider Ukrtauer LLC, to the French investment company NJJ Capital.

The decision to sign the agreement was made by the Board of Directors on December 20, but as early as May 9 it decided not to disclose information about the possible deal. Turkcell specified that the nominal price of Lifesell shares is UAH 12 billion 711.849 million, Global Bilgi – UAH 47.226 million and Ukrtauer – UAH 1 billion 964.04 million.

Authorized representatives of NJJ Capital (Paris, France) and Global Bilgi LLC (Kyiv, Ukraine) applied to the Antimonopoly Committee (AMCU) for authorization of NJJ Capital to indirectly acquire a part in the authorized capital of Global Bilgi, which provides for exceeding 50% of votes in the supreme governing body of the company, as well as parts providing for exceeding 50% of votes in the supreme governing bodies of Lifesell and Ukrtauer on December 29, 2023. The applications were returned to them as they did not meet the requirements set by the committee.

On January 23, 2024, AMCU received a second application to acquire the stake that provides control in Lifsell, Global Bilgi and Ukrtauer LLC from DVL Telecom, a member of the NJJ group.

According to market participants, a problem for the completion of the deal may also be the partial seizure of stakes in the companies being sold on charges against the under-sanctioned Mikhail Fridman, who indirectly controls a minority stake in Turkcell.

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The movie “20 Days in Mariupol” has won in Best Feature Documentary category of Academy Awards

Mstislav Chernov’s “20 Days in Mariupol” won in the Best Feature Documentary category of the Academy Awards, according to the Associated Press.

At the awards ceremony, Mstislav Chernov took the stage to collect his award.

“Movies shape memories, and memories shape history,” Chernov said.

The Associated Press and PBS “Frontline” team that produced the documentary received a standing ovation from the audience. This is the first Oscar for both Ukraine and the Associated Press.

“20 Days in Mariupol” chronicles the first weeks of fighting in Mariupol in the Donetsk region during Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Director and photographer Mstislav Chernov, photographer Eugene Maloletka and producer and journalist Vasilisa Stepanenko worked on the movie. They were the last journalists to cover the beginning of Russia’s destruction of Mariupol, for which all three won the Pulitzer Prize.

The movie became the highest-grossing documentary in Ukraine last year, collecting 500 thousand UAH only for the first weekend of distribution.

As reported, the documentary “20 Days in Mariupol” won the BAFTA award of the British Academy.

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Movie “Oppenheimer” has won best film Oscar

The movie “Oppenheimer” directed by Christopher Nolan won the Oscar in the category “Best Film”.

The awards ceremony of the 96th American Academy Awards was held in Los Angeles at the Dolby Theater on Monday night, Kiev time.

Among the contenders for the award in this category were “American Fiction”, “Anatomy of a Fall”, “Barbie”, “Unfortunate Creatures”, “Zone of Interest”, “Maestro”, “The Departed”, “Past Lives”, “Killers of the Flower Moon”.

The movie “Oppenheimer” tells the story of the creator of the American atomic bomb, Robert Oppenheimer, focusing on the transformation of his relationship to the weapon created under his leadership.

The film also won awards for Best Director (Christopher Nolan), Best Actor (Cillian Murphy) and Best Supporting Actor (Robert Downey Jr.). In total, the picture was awarded seven Oscar statuettes.

The best actresses according to “Oscar” became Emma Stone for the movie “Unfortunate Creatures”, the best supporting actress played D’Vine Joy Randolph in the movie “The Departed”.

The Oscar winner in the category “Foreign feature film” was the film “Zone of Interest”.

“Oscar” for best original screenplay went to the movie “Anatomy of a Fall”. The award for best adapted screenplay went to “American Fiction”.

The best documentary was “20 Days in Mariupol” by Mstislav Chernov. “The Boy and the Heron” by Hayao Miyazaki won the “Oscar” as the best animated film.

The American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences award, known as the Oscars since the 1940s, was established in 1929 and honors figures who have made contributions to the motion picture industry.

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Internal and external debt of Ukraine in 2010-2023

Internal and external debt of Ukraine in 2010-2023

Source: Open4Business.com.ua and experts.news

Forecast of changes in discount rate of National Bank of Ukraine, %

Forecast of changes in discount rate of National Bank of Ukraine, %

Source: Open4Business.com.ua and experts.news