Philip Morris International Inc. (PMI) in 2021 reduced the shipment of its products in Ukraine by 3.3% compared to 2020 due to an increase in excise tax on these products, followed by its rise in price and an increase in the volume of illegal trade in cigarettes.
According to the PMI report, in the fourth quarter of 2021, shipments of its products to Ukraine decreased by 7.4% compared to October-December 2020, mainly due to the overall contraction of the Ukrainian tobacco market, which was partially offset by the growth of tobacco products intended for use in heat-not-burn devices.
The overall contraction of the tobacco market in Ukraine in 2021 was 9.8% compared to 2020, mainly due to an increase in product prices caused by an increase in the excise tax and in illegal trade in cigarettes.
According to the report, in general, in Eastern Europe (including Russia) in 2021, the volume of shipments of tobacco products did not change compared to 2020 and amounted to 114.35 billion units, and in the fourth quarter of last year it decreased by 4.3% – to 27.99 billion units
As reported, Philip Morris International, which includes PrJSC Philip Morris Ukraine, is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of tobacco products. It produces cigarettes in more than 50 factories and sells them in 180 countries.
The company has been operating in Ukraine for more than 20 years, owns a factory in Kharkiv region. More than 1,300 people work at the company’s enterprises.
Coal mining enterprises of Ukraine in January 2022 reduced production of coal by 1.8% (by 46,800 tonnes) compared to the same period last year – to 2.534 million tonnes, according to the data of the Energy Ministry.
According to the calculations of the Interfax-Ukraine agency, in particular coal mining enterprises under the control of the ministry last month reduced production by 0.2% – to 329,600 tonnes.
The mines of Donetsk region in January 2022 ensured the production of 1.053 million tonnes of coal (down 4.8% compared to January 2021), Luhansk region – 21,200 tonnes (down 1%), Dnipropetrovsk – 1.386 million tonnes (up 3.6%), Lviv region – 68,800 tonnes (down 39%), Volyn region – 4,200 tonnes (up 3.1 times).
As reported, Ukraine in 2021 increased production of coal by 2% compared to 2020 – to 29.388 million tonnes. Production of steam coal amounted to 22.153 million tonnes, coking coal – 7.234 million tonnes.
The State Executive Service annually increases the execution of court decisions by 20-30%, Minister of Justice Denys Maliuska said.
“The execution of court decisions increases annually by about 20-30%. This is in terms of the number of executed enforcement documents, and the collection of the enforcement fee, and the funds received by the state budget,” he said in an interview with Interfax-Ukraine.
At the same time, Maliuska noted that private executors “also work successfully.”
“Execution of court decisions that can really be enforced and where there are no prohibitions is much more successful every year,” he said.
On Friday, February 11, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky began a two-day working trip to Kharkiv and Kherson regions.
According to the President’s Office, in Kharkiv, the head of state will take part in the work of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, as well as hold an off-site meeting of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC).
“Following the meeting, a briefing by the NSDC Secretary is expected,” the report said.
In Kherson region, Zelensky will be shown the actions of units of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the development of measures to vacate administrative buildings.
TAS Insurance Group (Kyiv) in 2021 concluded 2.518 million insurance contracts, of which 1.223 million were for compulsory types of insurance (up 8%), 1.295 million were voluntary (up 13%).
According to the website of the insurer, TAS signed 2.357 million contracts with insured individuals, which is 10% more than the corresponding figure for 2020. Some 12% more contracts were concluded with clients – legal entities – than a year before last, in total, 160,000 of them were issued.
According to the results of the reporting period, the first place in the company’s portfolio was traditionally occupied by OSAGO, under which 1.050 million policies were issued (up 6%), KASKO – 56,896 (up 17%).
The company reports that in 2021, comprehensive insurance contracts were in consistently high demand among consumers, so 346,496 Povny Avtozakhyst (Full Car Protection) contracts and 15,794 Povny Zhytlozakhyst (Full Housing Protection) contracts were concluded. In turn, 127,356 travel insurance policies were issued during the year.
In total, more than 1.217 million customers entrusted their insurance coverage to TAS Insurance Group last year.
As reported, in 2021, the volume of revenues of TAS reached UAH 2.45 billion. In particular, under OSAGO policies, the insurer collected UAH 857.49 million, while UAH 568.36 million under KASKO agreements, UAH 322.81 million of insurance premiums under Green Card policies.
The decision of the Supreme Court to refuse the Ostchem Holding Limited company of Dmytro Firtash to comply with the decision of the Arbitration Institute of the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce to recover over $300 million from Odesa-Port Side Plant for gas supplies causes mixed feelings and bears risks of consequences, Minister of Justice Denis Maliuska has said.
“The decision was also a surprise for me… On the one hand, as a citizen, I am glad that the funds will not be recovered from the state-owned enterprise, and on the other hand, the argumentation and how it looks in terms of possible consequences, perhaps this is not yet the end of the story, risks remain,” he said in an interview with Interfax-Ukraine.
Commenting on commercial arbitrations against Ukraine in general, Maliuska said that he does not see the danger of making any critical decisions regarding Ukraine this year.
As reported, in 2016, the Arbitration Institute of the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce decided to recover $250 million from Odesa-Port Side Plant in favor of Ostchem Holding Limited for the gas that the company supplied to the plant in 2013.
In March 2017, by a decision of the Yuzhny City Court, this decision was legalized on the territory of Ukraine. The validity of this decision was also recognized by the Court of Appeal of Odesa region. In July 2018, the Supreme Court reversed those decisions.
Again, Ostchem was able to achieve a positive decision for itself in the Kyiv Court of Appeal in April 2019. According to a document published in the unified register of court decisions, Odesa-Port Side Plant, in accordance with the decision of the Stockholm tribunal, had to pay Ostchem almost $193.3 million in principal and $58 million in fines.
The plant objected to the ruling made by the Ukrainian court, noting that the company had been stopped since the middle of 2018 and the implementation of the decision of the Arbitration Institute of the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce would lead to bankruptcy and threats of a man-made and environmental disaster. In addition, the State Property Fund said that the contracts signed by plant and Ostchem are void. Odesa-Port Side Plant and the State Property Fund filed an appeal with the Supreme Court, which satisfied it in June 2021 and finally refused Ostchem to comply with the decision of the Arbitration Institute of the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce to recover over $300 million from the plant.
Ostchem has not yet announced what action it has taken or will take following the Supreme Court’s verdict.
