Business news from Ukraine

She was asked to comment on two reports of the European Commission on the implementation of the respective action plans on visa liberalization by Ukraine and Georgia published on Friday.

The summit in Riga will be an important step in the cooperation with the Eastern Partnership countries, in particular in visa liberalization, Berto said.

According to her, the two reports published on Friday say that the two countries – Ukraine and Georgia – have made significant progress, but there is still much work to be done in a number of areas.

Berto explained that the EC was ready to issue follow-up reports earlier than planned, if the relevant requirements were met.

The contract was signed by the sides in the framework of the maiden flight of the An-178 aircraft in Kyiv on Thursday, an Interfax-Ukraine correspondent reported.

Delivery dates and details of the contract are not disclosed at the customer’s request.

The new An-178 aircraft is created to replace An-12 planes and is designed for the effective fulfillment of its tasks as a transport aircraft, including logistics and transportation of equipment.

One of its major advantages is the capability of transporting the entire line of packaged goods, including large-sized sea freight containers.

About 200 companies from 14 countries are engaged in the An-178 industrial cooperation program.

Exports handling rose by 25%, to 3.954 million tonnes, imports handling by 40.5%, to 1.261 million tonnes, while transit handling fell by 42.8%, to 836,000 tonnes, the Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority has reported.

Liquid bulk handling rose by 14.3%, to 686,000 tonnes, dry bulk handling grew by 47%, to 4.267 million tonnes, while packaged handling decreased by 40%, to 1.204 million tonnes.

Illichivsk maritime merchant port is a general-service international port, one of the largest on the Black Sea. Its annual handling capacity is over 30 million tonnes of cargo. It has specialized terminals and complexes that handle a wide range of freight, including liquid, bulk, and general cargo. The port’s 29 berths are open to ships with tonnages of up to 100,000 tonnes.

The port can process 1.15 million TEU in aggregate. As of 2007, the port can simultaneously handle three container ships of over 5,000 TEU and a length of up to 300 meters.

KYIV. May 7 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko at a meeting with Minister for Foreign Affairs and Law of Singapore Kasiviswanathan Shanmugam discussed international security and expansion of economic cooperation, the press service of the Ukrainian president has reported.

“The president invited Singaporean business to increase investment in Ukraine,” reads the report published late on Wednesday.

The press service said that the Singaporean minister said that Singapore supports Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. He said that his country condemns annexation of Crimea and any attempts of violating sovereignty of other countries.

Poroshenko thanked the minister for support.

“I’m an optimist with support all over the world from different countries among this is Singapore. I’m proud of my people who are fighting for peace, freedom and independence of own country,” he said.

KYIV. May 7 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Nova Poshta private express delivery operator expanded parcel collection points by 20% in April 2015, opening 334 points in 58 settlements of Ukraine, to 2,006 points (including automated parcel terminals), the company’s press service has reported.The press service said that new points were opened in Kyiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Odesa, Kharkiv, Lviv, Kirovohrad, Khmelnytsky, Mykolaiv, Zaporizhia, Ivano-Frankivsk, Ternopil, Vinnytsia, Poltava, Lutsk, Marhanets, Illichivsk, Dniprodzerzhynsk, Kryvy Rih, Kremenchuk, Bila Tserkva, Lubny, Slavske, Kramatorsk and other towns.”Among the opened points are 25 postal and package delivery points, 39 points are working in the parcel shop format and accept parcels up to 15 kilograms. Last month Nova Poshta placed its parcel shops in METRO, Foxtrot, Velmart and other retail chains. Over the period 13 partnership representative offices were opened,” the press service said.

In April 2015, Nova Poshta expanded the automated parcel terminal chain by over five times – by 257 points, to 317.

“Automated parcel terminals allow clients to receive parcels of up to 30 kilograms and dimensions 37x35x61 cm. Today the service is available to residents of Kyiv, Odesa, Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhia, Poltava, Kharkiv, Mykolaiv, Sumy, Kirovohrad, Lviv, Vinnytsia, Kherson, Lutsk, Rivne, Ternopil, Ivano-Frankivsk, Chernivtsi, Kryvy Rih, Kremenchuk, Illichivsk, Mahdalynivka, Kakhovka, Nova Kakhovka, Korosten, Dniprodzerzhynsk, Voznesensk, Lubny, Izium, Nizhyn, Myrhorod, Kupiansk, Oleksandria, Svitlovodsk, Chuhuyiv and Pavlohrad,” the company said.

KYIV. May 7 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko met with Prime Minister of Moldova Chiril Gaburici on Wednesday. The parties discussed relevant issues of bilateral relations and experience in cooperation with the EU, the press service of Ukrainian President has reported.

“The President noted the importance of strong and politically stable Moldova for Ukraine. Ukraine is interested in coordinating actions on the European integration and the exchange of experience on the introduction of the visa-free regime,” the press service reported.

According to the President, it is important to fully use benefits of the European integration and reduce risks. “Coordination of actions and efficient mutual support is an important factor,” the Head of State emphasized.

The President said that Ukraine supported Moldova and highly appreciated common projects on economic development, financial stability and benefits of the European integration.

In turn, Chiril Gaburici noted: “Given that the situation in the world is changing rapidly today, it is important to stick together and help one another.” According to him, there are a lot of economic issues in which the two countries can cooperate and achieve progress.

The Moldovan Prime Minister also expressed interest in Ukraine’s experience of reforms. “We are willing to implement reforms and fight corruption. You already have such an experience,” Gaburici said.

The EU has already introduced a visa-free regime for Moldova. Ukraine expects a corresponding decision from the EU at the Eastern Partnership summit in Riga at the end of May.