To create one million jobs as self-employment, small and medium businesses in Ukraine is a realistic task
for two years. This will stimulate the domestic market, ensure a significant increase in GDP, stop the
outflow of specialists and workers abroad. The main thing is to ensure that working and potential
entrepreneurs could have access to financial resources, regular training and to prop up attractiveness of
business initiatives in society. These issues are on the radar screens of some influential non-
governmental organizations and representatives of large companies in Ukraine: Kyiv hosted the first
Ukrainian business forum "Ukraine is a Country of Entrepreneurs," which is designed for young business
people and those who have only started thinking about their own business. It was organized by the
Ukrainian League of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (ULIE) with the support of PrivatBank.
The event brought together a large number of participants, among them were representatives of the
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the Ukrainian government, Parliament,
international organizations, successful businessmen and founders of startups, consultants and others.
Real opportunities and prospects for the implementation of new business ideas, as well as practical
tools to create or develop own companies were demonstrated to the beginners.
"More and more of our fellow citizens – about 65% of young people – are interested in the opportunity
to start up their own business, but a mere 4% do this. Here we are working in several directions to
change the situation: to provide the most favorable conditions for business development (access to
credits, tax incentives) and convince our talented compatriots not to be afraid of developing on their
own by launching their own projects and setting up their own companies," ULIE President Anatoly
Kinakh has said.
He stresses it is time to stop demonizing large corporations, which have just started kicking off similar
socially responsible projects, as it is time to join hands with other financial institutions, the state and
non-governmental organizations.
"In future, utilizing public-private partnership, the initiative should become the basis for the formation
of a national strategy for strengthening of the middle class, development of small businesses. In other
countries it is the main stabilization factor and source of budget payments (50-70%)," the leader of the
business community said.
Representatives of the parliament, international financial institutions, who were invited to the event,
positively assessed the potential of this project titled "Ukraine is a Country of Entrepreneurs." To
implement the ambitious goal – create 1 million jobs, only UAH 20 billion in loans is needed along with
consolidated efforts by businesses, the government, financial institutions, Ukrainians themselves. In
turn, as stated by chairperson of the parliament's committee on tax and customs policy, Nina Yuzhanina,
Members of Parliament will work closely with officials, experts to not only introduce effective tax
changes, but also to conduct a comprehensive fiscal reform.
During the Kyiv forum, several hundred participants received individual counseling from experts on
business registration, accounting, tax accounting, legal support, franchising, e-commerce, and other
issues.
As this is a socially oriented project, it also covers startup and business development training for former
participants in the Anti-Terrorist Operation and internally displaced persons.
Similar business forums will be held in the regions with the involvement of local authorities. The concept
of the project will be updated following the analysis of proposals and comments from businessmen,
professionals who participate in such forums.
BAKU. Oct 31 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Iran Khodro (IKCO) seeks to export passenger cars made at a plant in Azerbaijan to Ukraine and Georgia, Ukrainian mass media have reported.
“IKCO is holding talks on supplies of cars that will be manufactured at a plant in Azerbaijan to Georgia and Ukraine,” IKCO Director for CIS Sabina Nobari said.
According to media reports, cars of manufacturers from Iran several times appeared on the Ukrainian market. These were Samand sedan cars imported by Kharkiv’s Megatrans and Saipa four-door cars. Bogdan Autotrade imported Saipa cars in 2014-2015. When the Euro 5 emission requirements took effect in Ukraine, imports of these cars was halted.
Azerbaijan’s Azevrocar and Iran Khodro decided to create joint car production facilities. The first investment in construction of the plant is estimated at $15 million. The plant will be launched in 2018. Its annual production capacity will be 10,000 cars.
KYIV. Oct 31 (Interfax-Ukraine) – The implementation of the imports replacement concept in the Ukrainian pharmaceutical sector is possible with the approval of the strategy for attracting foreign investment, President of the Association Manufactures of Medications of Ukraine (AMMU) Petro Bahriy has said.
“The foreign direct investment attraction concept for the Ukrainian pharmaceutical sector should be drawn up, not the imports replacement concept. Ukrainian pharmaceutical manufacturers can calmly work in close cooperation with foreign partners. Ukrainian patients would win from this, as they would have access to modern drugs and modern technologies,” he said during a discussion at the Ukrainian HealthCare Forum 2016.
Bahriy said that investment should be stimulated to achieve this goal.
“Everything what is to be done is to introduce preference, or stimulate investment. There is nothing to worry about. This is done all over the world. Support of local manufacturers and reasonable preferences exist everywhere,” he said.
He said that efforts made by pharmaceutical companies in Ukraine to develop the sector should be supported by the state.
“We want to move to Europe. We want to create jobs. This work would have been more effective if it were supported by Ukraine’s leaders and the conditions for stable development were created,” Bahriy said.
KYIV. Oct 31 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Hungary is ready to allocate EUR 50 million under a project for the construction of a bypass road around the west-Ukrainian town of Berehove and a road that will link Berehove with Mukacheve, Hungary’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto has said.
The Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine and Hungary on Friday met in Kyiv where they agreed to start investing in a number of infrastructure projects in the Transcarpathian region.
“Today we have agreed on the timeframe for developing infrastructure projects in Zakarpattia – up to five infrastructure projects. And we will begin to invest in one of the projects – this is a ring road around Berehove, which will lead to the border,” Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin said at a press conference.
The parties also discussed issues of bilateral cooperation, the opening of new crossing points, as well as the introduction of joint customs and border control.
KYIV. Oct 31 (Interfax-Ukraine) – PJSC Ukrtransgaz and French company Engie have signed an agreement on cooperation for natural gas storage in Ukrainian underground gas storage facilities (UGS).
“Prime Minister of Ukraine Volodymyr Groysman and Minister of Economy and Finance of France Michel Sapin on October 28 took part in signing an agreement between Engie and PJSC Ukrtransgaz,” the press service of the Cabinet of Ministers said.
According to the report, the signing ceremony was held before the start of the French-Ukrainian business forum in Paris.
According to the document signed, Engie gained the possibility to store gas in Ukrainian underground gas storage facilities.
KYIV. Oct 28 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has attended the opening of a new company with foreign investments Kromberg and Schubert Ukraine in Oliyivka (Zhytomyr region) for production of electrical and optical equipment.
According to the official presidential website, the event took place during the president’s working visit to Zhytomyr region.
“Your production is the fact that investors vote with dollars, hryvnias, euros for Ukraine’s independence and support the country,” Poroshenko said.
The president noted reforms aimed at creating an attractive investment climate and raising investment are very important for protection of the state.
He stressed the protection of workers and the fight against poverty is the priority for the authorities.
“The key man in Ukraine is a taxpayer. And we will do our best to protect workers,” he said.
Kromberg and Schubert started work in Ukraine in Lutsk in 2004.
