Ukraine has strengthened its position in the EU organic market and, according to the results of 2019, took the second place out of 123 countries exporting organic food to the EU, having risen two positions compared to the previous year, OrganicInfo portal has reported, citing the European Commission’s annual report titled “EU Imports of Organic Agri-Food Products: Key Developments in 2019.”
According to the report, in 2019, 3.24 million tonnes of organic agri-food products were imported into the EU, more than 10% of which came from Ukraine. According to the results of last year, Ukrainian exports to the EU increased by 27%, to 337,860 tonnes. Mostly Ukraine supplied the EU with cereals (including wheat, excluding rice) with 76.9% of cereals were Ukrainian origin, wheat (31.8%), oilseeds (except soy, 18.2%), soy (13%), and fruits (11%). Ukraine is also among the largest exporters of oilcake, fruit juices and vegetables, which are key export products.
OrganicInfo said that in 2018, Ukraine ranked fourth in terms of organic exports to the EU, being behind China, Ecuador and the Dominican Republic.
International relations expert of the Ukrainian Institute of Politics Danylo Bohatyriov has said that the upcoming elections in the United States will be one of the dirtiest in the country’s history.
During the debut program “Expert Kitchen” on the Expert Club YouTube channel, Bogatyriov said that Trump’s chances to be re-elected to a second term are still rather high, although the situation with the coronavirus epidemic and chaos in the healthcare system may have a negative impact on his prospects.
The expert emphasized that despite numerous scandals during Trump’s tenure he managed to fulfill most of his campaign promises, and in the eyes of his voters he is an extremely effective president, who has returned to the United States a portion of industrial facilities, which had been withdrawn from the country earlier. In addition, he created hundreds of thousands of new jobs.
However, the heavy mortality from COVID-19 and the inability of the country’s healthcare system to cope with the number of infected American citizens could be used by Trump’s opponents during the entire election campaign, which could salvage the campaign of his main rival – 77-year-old Joe Biden.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky plans to discuss the issue of adding dormitories to the Big Construction program with the Infrastructure Ministry, the prime minister and the Regional Development, Construction and Housing and Utilities Ministry, according to the press service of the Office of President of Ukraine.
“We will discuss with the Infrastructure Ministry, the prime minister and the Regional Development Ministry a possibility of adding construction of dormitories in Ukraine to the Big Construction program,” he said during a working visit to Khmelnytsky region on June 3, during which he checked the implementation of the program.
The head of state said that during a meeting with the rectors of the top universities on June 2 he was informed that one of the major problems in higher education is the lack of student dormitories with good conditions.
The program provides for the construction of five schools, kindergartens and sports complexes in each region, he said, adding that all education institutions should be commissioned by September 1.
“Probably, not all of them will be ready due to coronavirus, but the majority of them should be ready,” the president said.
“Our strategy is very simple: we have to build as many such important infrastructure facilities as possible over the five years given to us by the people of Ukraine and the God,” Zelensky said.
The president also checked the construction site of a kindergarten in the village of Davydkivtsi, Khmelnytsky district. He was told that the total cost of the project is more than UAH 27 million, as well as that the building was 65% ready at that moment and it would be put in operation by September 1.
The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has supported amendments to the Government Program for Improving Road Safety in Ukraine for the period until 2020, thanks to which 25 Weigh-in-Motion (WiM) scale systems will be installed and 50 portable truck weighing scales will be upgraded. According to the press service of the Infrastructure Ministry of Ukraine with reference to Minister Vladyslav Krykliy, the Cabinet of Ministers adopted the corresponding decision on Wednesday.
“Due to violation of the rules for the passage of oversized and heavy vehicles, roads are being destroyed. The government is spending on their repairs and the number of accidents on these roads is increasing. Today, out of the 78 portable truck weighing scales purchased in 2017, 50 require replacement of weighing elements. I am glad that the government supported the changes to the government program for improving road safety. Now, for effective overall weight control, 50 portable truck weighing scales will be updated, and 25 WiM complexes will be installed,” the press service said, citing the minister.
Accordingly, with the changes, the cost of installing modern WiM systems was increased by UAH 380.7 million, and the cost of the purchase of 50 portable truck weighing scales was increased by UAH 15 million.
In addition, it is envisaged to increase the number of tablets for employees of the National Police by 200 units (up to 1,200), to purchase 30 mobile diagnostic stations for checking the technical condition of vehicles and 30 road laboratories for checking the condition of the road network. It is also planned to purchase another 10 rescue vehicles for the State Emergency Service in order to reduce the time of arrival of the service to the accident site to 7-10 minutes.
Irish Ryanair Holdings Plc, Europe’s largest air low-cost carrier, is intended to resume flights from Ukraine to Italy starting from July 6, Ryanair Ukraine reported on Telegram.
“The largest Europe’s low-cost Ryanair planned opening of the regular flights from Ukraine to Italy in July,” reads a report.
In particular, Ryanair will operate flights from Kyiv, Lviv, Kharkiv and Odesa.
Thus, starting from July 6, the airline plans to resume flights Kyiv-Rome, Kyiv-Milan (Bergamo), Lviv-Bologna, Kharkiv-Milan (Bergamo), Odesa-Bologna, Odesa-Milan (Bergamo).
Starting from July 7, Ryanair plans to launch flights on the route Kyiv-Bologna, Kyiv-Catania, Lviv-Milan (Bergamo).
From July 8, the resumption of flights Lviv-Rome and Odesa-Rome is expected.
It was reported that the prices started from EUR 40 for one-way ticket. The tickets for purchase are available in the reservation system on the carrier’s website.
A meeting of the Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on the approval of a new Stand-By Arrangement for Ukraine is scheduled for June 9, according to the fund’s website.According to the report, the board at the meeting will also assess the previous EFF program, opened in 2015.
