The ruling coalition in Romania has decided on the date of the new presidential elections, which will be held in Romania on May 4 and May 18, Reuters reports, citing sources in the Liberal Party of Romania.
According to the coalition parties, they have agreed to support a single presidential candidate to prevent the far-right from winning, and today their candidate is Crin Antonescu, the former leader of the Liberals, but experts suggest that another candidate from the ruling coalition may be nominated.
According to Politico, despite the cancellation of the results of the previous elections, pro-Russian candidate Kelin Georgescu remains popular in Romania, as evidenced by a poll conducted by Digi 24 at the request of Bucharest Mayor Nicusor Dan, who also plans to run for president of Romania as an independent candidate in the re-election. The poll showed that at least 40 percent of Romanians plan to vote for Dănăsca, Dan told Digi24, without specifying how many people were interviewed.
On Wednesday, Elena Lascone, the leader of the liberal progressive party “Union for the Salvation of Romania”, which came in second in the previous elections with 19.18% of the vote, promised to run again.
As reported, in December 2024, the Romanian Supreme Court overturned the results of the first round of the November 24 presidential election due to allegations of foreign interference after the victory of pro-Russian candidate Kelin Georgescu.
Earlier, the Experts Club think tank released a video about the most important elections in the world, the video is available here – https://youtu.be/73DB0GbJy4M?si=zWf7UqPASklCy5nr
Prices for raw milk in Ukraine declined in early January due to a decrease in demand from dairy processing companies during the New Year holidays, the Association of Milk Producers (AMP) reported.
The industry association noted that the average purchase price of extra milk as of January 6 was 19.10 UAH/kg excluding VAT, which is 0.60 UAH less than a month earlier, while the price of premium milk was 18.35 UAH/kg excluding VAT (-0.35 UAH), and the price of first grade remained unchanged at 17.65 UAH/kg excluding VAT. The weighted average price of the three milk grades was fixed at 18.37 UAH/kg excluding VAT, which is 0.32 UAH less than in December.
“The decline in raw milk prices in Ukraine at the beginning of the year led to a drop in butter prices. A drop in consumer activity in the market is also traditionally observed during the New Year holidays. In addition, Ukrainian companies reduced the volume of butter exports in December due to lower prices for the product on foreign markets. (…) The domestic market has seen a surplus of raw milk, and maximum prices for extra and premium milk have gone down due to reduced demand from dairy processing companies,” explained AVM analyst Giorgi Kukhaleishvili.
The AMP reported that Ukraine is also experiencing a decline in butter prices, coupled with a halt in the growth of prices for fermented dairy products due to limited purchasing power of the population and reduced demand for dairy products in the domestic market. Due to high prices for domestic dairy products, imports of processed dairy products, including cheese, increased in December.
“A significant reduction in purchase prices in Ukraine is unlikely due to the increase in the cost of milk production due to rising feed costs and the need to meet EU environmental requirements,” the industry association said.
It is likely that in 2025 the global dairy market will move to a new price corridor – from $40 to $50 per 100 kg of raw milk. In 2024, the average price of raw milk in Ukraine was $42.45 per 100 kg, which is 20% higher than in 2023. The price of raw milk in Ukraine grew throughout 2024, unlike in the EU, the US and New Zealand. In 2025, the average milk price in Ukraine is likely to increase to $45-46 per 100 kg of raw milk. In the absence of force majeure, a certain decrease in purchase prices is likely in late April – early May this year as a result of a seasonal increase in milk production in households, the AMP predicts.
JSC “Ukrposhta” announced the beginning of strategic partnership with Chinese marketplace Temu.
“Ukrposhta and Temu announce the beginning of a strategic partnership,” wrote the CEO of Ukrposhta Igor Smilyansky on Facebook on Thursday.
According to him, Ukrposhta delivered 1.5 million parcels from Temu to Ukraine within the framework of the pilot project. About 80% of the shipments were delivered in three days or less.
Overall, Ukrposhta’s share in the volume of parcel deliveries from China is about 60%, Smilyansky said.
According to the CEO of Ukrposhta, a new automated processing center for international parcels will be opened during the first quarter, thanks to which the state-owned company will be able to deliver more than 90% of parcels in 1-2 days from the moment of crossing the border of Ukraine.
“I am sure that this will please many of our customers. Especially very soon all shipments will be able to track in the new mobile application,” – wrote Smilyansky.
Earlier, the Director of the Department of International Operations of JSC “Ukrposhta” Julia Pavlenko in an interview with the agency “Interfax-Ukraine” reported that “Ukrposhta” began to cooperate with the marketplace Temu.
Pavlenko announced the opening of an automated customs zone for the clearance of imported goods at the sorting center near Boryspil. The tentative start of its work was scheduled for January.
Putting this zone into operation will significantly speed up the clearance of import operations, the director of Ukrposhta’s international operations department said.
The International Finance Corporation (IFC) from the World Bank Group has signed documents on December 20, 2024 to provide Concern Galnaftogaz with a $53.87 million loan to finance the construction of a 147 MW wind power plant in Volyn region and technical support.
According to information on the IFC website, the total cost of the project is estimated at EUR261 mln (including VAT), the 16-year loan is granted to the established project companies Wind Power Plant Volyn LLC and Wind Power Plant Volyn 3 LLC, which are controlled by GNG Retail Limited and its subsidiary Concern Galnaftogaz (together – GNG Group).
It is indicated that the project involves mixed financing, including from the UK-FCDO and EC-UIF, as well as the Clean Technology Fund.
Earlier, on December 4, participation in the project was also approved by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), which also signed documents on granting the above-mentioned LLCs a long-term loan of EUR60 million for the construction of a 147 MW wind power plant in Volyn region.
The WPP is expected to generate about 380 GWh (380 million kWh) of zero-carbon renewable electricity annually.
In February 2024, the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine (AMCU) authorized GNG Retail Limited (Cyprus) to buy more than 50% in the authorized capitals of Wind Power Group Volyn LLC and Wind Power Group Volyn 3 LLC. According to the data of public registers, GNG Retail Limited owns 89.5% in the two LLCs, while ZNVKIF Rimini JSC (in which Vitaliy Antonov owns 83.19%) – 10.5%.
OKKO CEO Vasyl Danilyak announced the start of work on the construction of a wind power plant in Volyn region in the fall of 2024. He explained the group’s plans to work in the RES sector by the need to diversify its business, as the fuel market is no longer expected to grow.
“Galnaftogaz” operates one of the largest networks of filling stations OKKO, which has more than 400 complexes with a network of catering establishments. The concern also includes other businesses.
Vitaly Antonov’s GNG Retail Limited owns 90.25% of Concern Galnaftogaz. Avalia Investments Limited (Cyprus) of Igor Mazepa, founder and head of Concorde Capital, became the owner of another 7.35% of shares in October 2024.
Retail sales of passenger cars in China in December increased by 12% year-on-year to 2.635 million, according to a report by the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA).
Compared to November, they increased by 8.7%.
Sales of new energy vehicles (NEVs) soared by 37.5% yoy and reached 1.302 million. The figure was up 2.6% compared to November.
NEVs accounted for 49.4% of new cars last month, up from 40.3% in December 2023.
For the whole of 2024, passenger car sales in China increased by 5.5% compared to the same period a year earlier to 22.894 million.
Zaporizhzhia Iron and Steel Works “Zaporizhstal” increased its rolled steel output by 18.1% in 2024 compared to 2023, up to 2 million 426.7 thousand tons from 2 million 54.7 thousand tons.
According to the company’s press release on Thursday, steel production for the period increased by 17.2% to 2 million 890.8 thousand tons, and pig iron by 14.2% to 3 million 106.3 thousand tons.
In December, Zaporizhstal produced 284.7 thousand tons of iron, 245.5 thousand tons of steel, and shipped 234.1 thousand tons of rolled products.
Taras Shevchenko, Acting CEO of Zaporizhstal, stated that in 2024, the plant continued to operate in the face of the proximity of the frontline and the resulting security risks, a significant shortage of personnel due to mobilization and migration, significant energy supply restrictions, the crisis in global markets and stagnation of the domestic steel market, etc.
“It took a lot of effort to keep the plant’s production capacity utilization at an average of 75% and, in addition, to continue support programs for the team, the region and the army. The key focus of Zaporizhstal’s team in 2024 was on finding solutions to improve our own sustainability, efficiency and competitiveness – and, given the disappointing forecasts for 2025, we will continue this work to save the plant and our team,” Shevchenko said.
The press release clarifies that the increase in production in 2024 compared to 2023 is due to higher blast furnace productivity, increased demand for commercial pig iron and the partial restoration of the sea freight export route.
In 2023, the plant operated at an average of 70% of its capacity.
As reported, in 2023, Zaporizhstal increased its rolled products output by 57.2% compared to 2022, up to 2 million 54.7 thousand tons, steel by 65.4%, up to 2 million 466.9 thousand tons, and pig iron by 35.3%, up to 2 million 718.9 thousand tons.
“Zaporizhstal is one of the largest industrial enterprises in Ukraine, whose products are in great demand among consumers both in the domestic market and in many countries of the world.
“Zaporizhstal is in the process of integration into Metinvest Group, whose major shareholders are System Capital Management (71.24%) and Smart Holding Group (23.76%).
Metinvest Holding LLC is the management company of Metinvest Group.
