Based on the results of a comprehensive assessment and taking into account the ongoing war, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) announced the impossibility of holding the final Eurovision 2023 in Ukraine in May 2023 and will start negotiations on its organization in the UK, whose representative took second place following the Ukrainian group “Kalush” at Eurovision 2022.
“After an objective analysis, the Reference Group, the governing board of the Eurovision Song Contest, has concluded with deep regret that, given the current circumstances, the security and operational guarantees necessary for a broadcaster to run, organize and produce the Eurovision Song Contest in accordance with the rules of the Eurovision Song Contest , cannot be performed by the (national broadcaster) “UA: Suspіlne movlennya,” the EBU said on Friday on its website.
According to him, as a result of this decision, in accordance with the rules and to ensure the continuity of the event, the EBU will now start negotiations with the BBC on the possible hosting of the final stage of the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 in the UK.
The priority in negotiations with the possible hosts of Eurovision 2023 will be to reflect Ukraine’s victory in this year’s contest, the release notes.
In addition, the EBU thanked Suspіlna for cooperating and exploring all possible scenarios in the weeks following Kalush’s May 14 victory in Turin and promised support in a number of areas to ensure the company continues to provide services to Ukrainians.
The European Commission recommends that the European Council grant Ukraine the status of a candidate member of the European Union with the subsequent implementation of the necessary steps.
The corresponding announcement on Friday in Brussels was made by the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen.
Agroholding MHP, the largest chicken producer in Ukraine, in the first quarter of 2022 received a net loss of $122 million against $1 million of net profit in January-March 2021, and its EBITDA fell by 16% to $53 million, according to the group’s report on the London Stock Exchange on Friday.
“Since February 24, 2022, the group has suffered losses due to the war in Ukraine following the Russian invasion. War-related expenses for the first three months of 2022 amounted to $25 million, of which 53% were donations to support the community, write-offs of reserves and biological assets – 33%, other expenses related to the war – 14%,” the report of the agrarian group says.
According to the agricultural holding, most of the net loss received in the first quarter of this year was due to changes in the exchange rate. The loss from the operating activities of the group of companies in January-March amounted to $27 million, while the loss on the exchange rate was $95 million.
MHP’s revenue for the reporting period increased by 24% compared to January-March 2021 to $553 million, its growth was driven by strong operating and financial performance in the pre-war period in January and February 2022, the document says.
In addition, it is indicated that the board of directors of MHP decided not to pay dividends for 2021 due to the uncertainty in Ukraine and the resulting need to save cash to support its activities.Gross profit of the group of companies in the first quarter of this year amounted to $92 million (+39% compared to January-March 2021), and operating profit – $12 million (-25%). Gross margin for the period was 17% (+2 p.p.), operating margin – 2% (-2 p.p.), and return on sales (EBITDA margin) -53% (-10 p.p.).
The temporary suspension of exports of wheat, flour and sugar will ensure Moldova’s food security until the next harvest, Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry Viorel Gerciu said Thursday in parliament.
The minister did not predict the price of bread in autumn, but said that this year’s wheat harvest will be less than last year’s (900,000 tons instead of 1.7 million tons). But even this will be enough to cover domestic demand, which is estimated at 660,000 tons per year.
Referring to the supply of fertilizers in Moldova, disrupted due to hostilities in Ukraine, the minister said that the country consumes 270,000 tons of fertilizers annually. Until the end of February, the cost of this volume of fertilizers was estimated at $80 million, but now the price has risen to $220 million. “129,000 tons of fertilizers have already been imported to Moldova this year, which is enough to meet the needs of agricultural producers today,” Gerciu added.
The cost of construction of low-rise eight-apartment buildings under the Biden project will be $750/sq m, a plot has already been allocated in Bucha district for the pilot implementation of two houses.
“The cost of the house, including construction, engineering, exterior and interior decoration, furniture, household appliances and climate engineering equipment, will not exceed $750 per square meter. This is an ambitious figure and difficult to achieve, but we have confidence in our suppliers, thanks to whom we can count on such a prime cost,” Ivan Perehynets, an academician of the Academy of Construction of Ukraine, the director of the scientific and technical center, said during a press conference at the Interfax-Ukraine agency on Thursday.
According to the academician, the Soniachne garden partnership in Bucha district of Kyiv region decided to allocate a land plot of 0.1 hectares for the pilot construction of two houses of the Biden project. The sites already have engineering and transport infrastructure. Construction is scheduled to begin before July 1.
According to the project, the area of one apartment in such a house is 60 square meters. The cost of such an apartment, including a parking space, will be about $45,000.
The International Construction Fund of Ukraine special fund was created to finance the project.
Perehynets noted that both local governments and cooperatives and other self-organizing bodies of the population can buy housing. In addition, he allows the purchase of such housing by businesses for further commercial use.
As reported, the Academy of Construction of Ukraine plans to implement a project for the rapid construction of housing in the format of eight-apartment houses for Ukrainians who have lost their homes. The construction of such housing takes about 60 days.
The Ukrainian delegation during the WTO ministerial conference held about two dozen bilateral talks on possible trade liberalization and removal of existing barriers, in particular, in trade in agricultural products, Deputy Economy Minister – Trade Representative of Ukraine Taras Kachka said.
“The main conclusion is that the world believes in Ukraine and is ready to open markets for Ukrainian products. This means that the world believes in our victory over the aggressor,” he wrote on Facebook after the conference.
Kachka also said that Ukraine has sent a request to the European Free Trade Association (Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein) to update the free trade agreement, and it will be considered next week within the framework of the EFTA institute.
According to the trade representative, he discussed further steps to liberalize trade, having carried out preparatory work right at the conference, with Canadian Minister of International Trade Mary Ng.
Kachka added that he agreed with the Minister of Trade of Australia in a few days after the conference to discuss in detail the possibilities of liberalizing bilateral trade (GSP and FTA).
The Ukrainian trade representative also said that he had discussed the conclusion of an agreement on digital trade with UK Secretary for International Trade Anne-Marie Trevelyan.
“The same issue – trade liberalization and digital trade – were relevant in a conversation with the Minister of Trade of Singapore. Singapore is ready to become a hub for trade in Ukrainian products in Asia,” Kachka added.
According to him, at a meeting with the Minister of Trade of Senegal, he emphasized that Ukraine is doing everything to increase exports and feed Africa.
“Senegal is chairing the African Union this year and their understanding of the true causes of food problems is very important,” the Ukrainian trade representative said.
AUSTRALIA, CANADA, ICELAND, LIECHTENSTEIN, NORWAY, SWITZERLAND, TRADE LIBERALIZATION
