The Moldovan parliament has declared a 60-day state of emergency over the gas crisis.
The decision has been made at the government’s proposal, an Interfax correspondent said in a report. It was supported by 58 deputies from the ruling Party of Action and Solidarity (out of 101 parliament members).
The opposition denied support to the government proposal.
Budhouse Group’s shopping centers were visited by 28.6 million people in 2021, which is 50% more than in 2020, the developer’s press service reported.
Such a significant increase is explained, first of all, by the opening of Kharkiv shopping center Nikolsky in May 2021. If we compare the attendance of other operating shopping centers, then there is also a gradual recovery of traffic after a fall in 2020 – a 13.1% increase. But none of the company’s shopping centers has yet reached the level of 2019, which is explained by quarantine restrictions, which also took place in 2021.
On average, as reported by the press service, there were 552 visitors per 1,000 square meters of the mall area. According to the company’s research, on average, visitors visit Budhouse Group’s shopping centers seven times a month and spend 73 minutes in them per visit. This is about the same as in 2020, and 16% less than in 2019, due to the restriction of the entertainment and catering sector.
The total turnover of Budhouse Group’s shopping centers in 2021, taking into account the new Nikolsky shopping and entertainment center, amounted to about UAH 10.4 billion. The turnover of Budhouse Group’s shopping centers in hryvnia equivalent in 2021 increased by 22% compared to 2020 and by 13% compared to 2019. In euros/dollars, the turnover of the company’s facilities reached the level of 2019 and even slightly exceeded it. The largest growth in turnover was observed in the Forum Lviv shopping center (27%).
The average vacancy in Budhouse Group’s shopping centers in 2021 was about 0.8% (0.6% in 2020). The minimum vacancy was recorded in the Forum Lviv shopping center and the Lubava shopping center (0.4-0.5%).
The rotation of tenants has decreased compared to 2020. In just a year, 19 new lease agreements with a total area of 3,600 square meters were signed in the existing shopping centers. For comparison: in 2020, some 30 new contracts were signed for a total area of more than 6,500 square meters.
Budhouse Group is a full cycle company engaged in investment, development and management of sustainable real estate assets. Since 2009, the company has opened four shopping centers: Fabrika shopping center (Kherson), Lubava shopping center (Cherkasy), Forum shopping center (Lviv), Nikolsky shopping center (Kharkiv) and Khortitsa Palace hotel (Zaporizhia). There are two projects at the implementation stage – Yessa shopping center (Odesa) and Khortitsa Mall shopping center (Zaporizhia).
State-owned Ukrgasbank (Kyiv) issued mortgage loans totaling UAH 1.25 billion, which is 3.1 times more than in 2020 (UAH 401.8 million), the bank’s press service reported on Tuesday, January 18.
According to the report, the bank issued more than 1,500 mortgage loans, including 327 loans worth UAH 325 million for the purchase of housing in the primary market and 1,220 loans worth UAH 925 million for the purchase of housing in the secondary market.
It is indicated that under the Affordable Mortgage 7% program, since the beginning of its operation, the bank has issued 257 loans in the amount of UAH 250 million.
JSB Ukrgasbank was founded in 1993. The state, represented by the Ministry of Finance, owns 94.94% of the shares of the financial institution.
According to the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU), as of October 1, 2021, Ukrgasbank ranked fifth (UAH 121.19 billion) in terms of total assets among 71 banks operating in the country.
The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has set an immigration quota for 2022 at 8,488 people.
The relevant decision was made at a government meeting on Wednesday.
In particular, a quota for relatives of Ukrainian citizens (siblings, grandparents, grandchildren and granddaughters) was 805 people; for persons who were previously citizens of the country – 406 people; for parents, spouses and minor children of immigrants – 2,345 people; and figures of science and culture, whose immigration meets the interests of Ukraine – 730 people.
For persons who have carried out foreign investment activities in the economy of Ukraine in foreign convertible currency in the amount of at least $100,000, immigration is established without restrictions.
In addition, this year, 4,101 highly qualified specialists or workers can immigrate to Ukraine under a quota, the urgent need for which is tangible for the country’s economy.
Among other things, a quota of 99 people has been established for persons who have served in the Armed Forces of Ukraine for three or more years.
For persons who have continuously lived in the territory of the state for three years from the date of establishing a status of victims of human trafficking for them, a quota of two people has been established.
As reported, in 2021, the immigration quota was 9,818 people.
Velta US Inc (the United States), the parent company of Production and Commercial Company Velta LLC with assets for the extraction of titanium-containing ores in Novomyrhorod, Kirovohrad region, intends to increase supplies of ilmenite concentrate to the United States by 15-23% in 2022.
According to the company’s press release, Velta in January held a meeting of the advisory board formed in October 2021 to discuss further expanding the company’s presence in the U.S. market, taking into account the review of signed contracts for 2022.
“This year, the company will increase its supplies of ilmenite concentrate to the U.S. by 15-23%. This process is also facilitated by the shortage of high-titanium raw materials in the North American market, which Velta is able to fully satisfy. I believe that this is only the beginning, and the company has great growth prospects, especially in the U.S. market,” Matthew Murray, a member of the advisory board of Velta U.S. Inc., the former deputy assistant secretary of commerce for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, said.
During the meeting, Andriy Brodsky, the CEO of Velta, voiced his support for the recently passed Section 6505 of the FY 2022 National Defense Authorization Act by the U.S. authorities, which calls for the U.S. Department of State to prepare a report on U.S.-Ukrainian cooperation in the context of reducing America’s dependence from titanium supplies from China and Russia, including due to an increase in supplies from Ukraine.
“Velta is ready to get involved in the process of developing mechanisms for cooperation between the United States and Ukraine regarding the supply and processing of titanium, as well as provide any necessary information and data for the formation of the Department of State report on the creation of new supply chains in the United States,” Brodsky said.
At the same time, it is noted that positive trends in Velta’s cooperation with American partners can become catalysts for the expansion of the existing mining complex and the launch of the Lekarevsky asset.
As reported, Velta US Inc created an advisory board on October 13, 2021 and is conducting a separation of mining and innovation business areas. At that time, it was announced that Matthew Murray, as the first member of the advisory board, would oversee the development of the company’s strategic vision and partnership in the U.S. market.
