Long-term budget programs of the European Union should take into account Ukraine’s future membership in the EU, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sibiga stressed.
During a discussion at the 20th Yalta European Strategy (YES) meeting in Kiev, the minister said that Ukraine needs macro-financial assistance and long-term support programs. According to him, the EU needs to build its policy now “through the paradigm that Ukraine is already a member of the European Union.”
“In accordance with the EU procedures, the process of preparing a 7-year budget for 2028-2034 starts in February 2025. It is very important that this budget already reflects this philosophy and logic. The logic of Ukraine’s enlargement and membership in the EU. This is very, very important, and we hope that our partners support this project,” Sibiga said.
According to the foreign minister, after World War II, one of the key goals of the founding of the EU was “to overcome war as a way of thinking and politics, and this idea remains relevant today.”
“There must be a clear realization that only Ukraine’s victory guarantees a secure future for Europe. We must be more decisive, act faster and with more confidence in our decision-making. Europe must also build up its defense capabilities,” he said.
Sibiga also assured European partners of Ukraine’s responsible work on the way to unification of domestic and foreign policy with the EU and careful fulfillment of its “homework”.
“In the field of foreign policy, Ukraine will ensure full harmonization with the EU and aims to join 100 percent of EU statements,” he said.
In January-August this year, Ukraine reduced pig iron exports in physical terms by 19.8% compared to the same period last year, to 749.454 thousand tons. According to statistics released by the State Customs Service (SCS) on Friday, pig iron exports in monetary terms decreased by 19.6% to $286.447 million during the period.
At the same time, exports were carried out mainly to the United States (66.28% of supplies in monetary terms), Italy (10.03%) and Turkey (9.85%).
In the first eight months of the year, the country imported 15 tons of pig iron worth $37 thousand from Germany (in January, March, May, June, July and August, there were no imports), while in the same period in 2023, it imported 65 tons of pig iron worth $97 thousand.
As reported, in 2023, Ukraine reduced pig iron exports in physical terms by 5.8% compared to 2022 – to 1 million 248.512 thousand tons, while exports in monetary terms decreased by 26.2% to $471.467 million. Deliveries were made mainly to Poland (51.91% of supplies in monetary terms), Spain (21.41%) and the United States (13.15%).
In 2023, Ukraine imported 154 tons of pig iron worth $156 thousand from Germany (42.31%), Brazil (41.67%) and Poland (16.03%), compared to 40 tons of pig iron worth $23 thousand in 2022.
Ukrainian businessman Ihor Kolomoisky and seven other people have lost their “golden passports of Cyprus” after the republic’s authorities confirmed that they were obtained through fraud, misrepresentation and concealment of material facts, the Cypriot newspaper Phileleftheros reports.
“The decision, made on April 9, 2024, mentions that both before and after naturalization, he (Kolomoisky) was and remains a dubious person, and his naturalization has created and is creating a huge risk to the reputation of the Republic of Cyprus,” the newspaper writes.
It is noted that the key role in the decision was played by the fact that in his application for exceptional naturalization Kolomoisky did not mention anything related to the case of tax evasion in Russia, which was investigated by the Russian authorities in 2008, while his naturalization as a Cypriot took place two years later, in June 2010.
It is emphasized that Kolomoisky, in addition to his Cypriot citizenship, has also held Israeli and Ukrainian citizenship since 1995. At the same time, it is reported that he is being prosecuted in Ukraine on a number of episodes, as well as that the US State Department has banned him, his wife and children from entering the United States in 2021 due to his involvement in corruption during his tenure as head of the Dnipro Regional Administration.
“After an investigation by the Independent Commission, it was found that Kolomoisky was involved in serious crimes that attracted wide international attention from public and private entities with significant negative comments and accusations of fraud involving huge sums of money,” the newspaper states.
Source: https://interfax.com.ua/
Railroad operators in the Czech Republic and Poland have temporarily canceled a number of flights due to flooding, including, according to Czech RegioJet, a temporary suspension of traffic on the section between Ostrava and Olomouc, Czech Republic, which is used by the company’s trains from Prague to Przemysl and Chop.
“We ask all passengers to postpone their current trips between Ostrava and Olomouc or Przeworów. We will inform you about further developments,” the company said on its website.
For its part, Ukrzaliznytsia clarified that as of now, both RegioJet trains from Prague to Chop and Przemysl are still in the Czech Republic and have no chance of catching their connecting Ukrainian flights.
“Therefore, we remind you that we are ready to accept passengers with tickets for today’s trains for any of our flights of the same destination in the next day to any available seats without exchanging tickets,” the Ukrainian railroad operator said.
As for passengers from Ukraine traveling to their connection in the Prague direction, Ukrzaliznytsia recommended contacting the Czech or Polish railway operator to clarify the schedule of the next flights.
“There is a high probability that passengers should plan to spend the night in the city of connection,” UZ said.
Number of unemployed people registered in public employment service as of 30.04.2024 (in thousands)
Open4Business.com.ua
The number of Green Card contracts concluded in January-August 2024 decreased by 8.7% to just over a million, according to the website of the Motor (Transport) Insurance Bureau of Ukraine (MTIBU).
According to the report, the total accrued insurance premiums under such contracts for eight months increased by 6.22% compared to the same period in 2023 – up to UAH 3.751 billion.
At the same time, the amount of claims paid increased by 16.2% to EUR 32.5 million, while the number of claims paid increased by 9.81% to 10.117 thousand.
MTIBU is the only association of insurers providing compulsory motor third party liability insurance for owners of land vehicles.
“Green Card is a system of insurance coverage for victims of road traffic accidents, regardless of their country of residence or country of vehicle registration. It covers 45 countries in Europe, Asia and Africa.
According to the decision taken by the General Assembly of the Council of the Bureau of the International System of Motor Insurance “Green Card” in Luxembourg in May 2004, Ukraine became a full member of the system on January 1, 2005.
