KYIV. Dec 20 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Ukraine and the European Union (EU) have signed agreements to finance four border cooperation programs in the amount of EUR 365 million.
“On December 19, 2016, a signing ceremony was held in Brussels. The Ukrainian government and the European Commission signed agreements on financing joint operation border cooperation programs for 2014-2020: “Ukraine-Romania,” “Ukraine-Hungary-Slovakia-Romania,” “Ukraine-Poland-Belarus” and “Black Sea Basin” under the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) tool,” the press service of the Economic Development and Trade Ministry has reported.
First Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine, Economic Development and Trade Minister Stepan Kybiv and Director for Neighbourhood East in the Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations (DG NEAR) Lawrence Meredith signed the agreements.
The total budget provided by the EU to finance four programs would be over EUR 365 million.
The implementation of the programs would help to realize joint projects with program member countries in the following spheres: improvement of infrastructure of border districts, solving of general problems in the security and order area, support of border management and border safety, migration management, environment protection over climate changes and disasters and use of alternative energy.
The programs envisage support of business, development of small and medium-sized enterprises (SME), support of education, research, innovations, development of local culture and historic heritage preservation.
The implementation of the border cooperation programs would help to carry out effective and mutually beneficial cooperation of the Ukrainian border districts and partner countries via the realization of joint projects, exchange of experience and best practices with the partner countries in various spheres, attract additional resources for sustainable development and increase competitiveness of Ukrainian border districts.
KYIV. Dec 19 (Interfax-Ukraine) – The Hungarian low-cost airline Wizz Air will expand its fleet in Kyiv, the second plane will be acquired in August 2017.
According to company communications director Tamara Valua, the company from August will also launch flights from Kyiv to Copenhagen and Nuremberg.
In addition, from August the airline will increase the frequency of flights to Budapest (to daily), Dortmund, Munich and Bratislava (to four per week) and to Cologne and Hamburg (to three per week).
KYIV. Dec 19 (Interfax-Ukraine) – The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) will issue a credit of up to $3.8 million to Ukrainian pharmaceutical manufacturer Ecofarm (Ecopharm) to complete the construction of production facilities according to GMP standards in Slavuta and procurement of appropriate equipment, the EBRD press service has said.
The loan will be granted for seven years in the framework of the EBRD direct financing program aimed at providing local small and medium enterprises with easier access to long-term financing, the report says.
The project also foresees investment support in the framework of the EU4Business program, which will help Ecofarm in its implementation.
Ecofarm is a Ukrainian pharmaceutical company, founded in 1998. It specializes in production of plant antiviral drugs.
According to information in the state register, the ultimate beneficial owner of the company through Valora Financial Services (the British Virgin Islands) is citizen of Switzerland Ruslan Novik.
KYIV. Dec 19 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Winter grain crops sprouted on 6.7 million ha out of 7.1 million ha of fields (95% of the planted area), Ukraine’s Agricultural Policy and Food Ministry said in a Friday press release.
Around 83% of winter crops or 5.6 million ha are in good and fair condition, crops on 1.1 million ha (17%) are in poor condition. 5% of crops on 371,400 ha did not sprout.
Winter rapeseeds sprouted on 829,800 ha (92% of the planted area), including crops in good and fair condition on 679,600 ha (82%) and in poor condition on 148,700 ha (18%).
KYIV. Dec 19 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Ukraine in January through October 2016 exported agricultural products for $11.84 billion, and this was 40.7% of total national exports.
Ukraine’s Agricultural Policy and Food Ministry said in a press release that over the period imports of agricultural products to Ukraine totaled $3.1 billion.
The surplus of trade with agricultural goods totaled $8.73 billion.
Grain crops had the largest share of Ukrainian exports ($4.8 billion), fats, vegetable oil amounted for $3.1 billion and finished food for $1.8 billion.
Crops prevailed in imports ($1 billion) and finished food ($1.4 billion).
KYIV. Dec 19 (Interfax-Ukraine) – The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has taken part in forming a new team of top managers of PrivatBank (Dnipro), Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has said.
“A new professional group of specialists has been hired to manage the bank. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development took part in the process,” the president said on Monday in his video address commenting on the transfer of PrivatBank to state ownership.
Poroshenko said that the task of the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) and Finance Ministry at present is provision for the gradual transfer of PrivatBank to state ownership.
