President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky rejected possible alternatives to EU candidate status and called not to compare Ukraine with other countries that have received this status.
“We do not need alternatives to EU membership. We do not need compromises. These will not be compromises with Ukraine, this will be another compromise between Europe and Russia, “he said in Kyiv on Saturday after talks with Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa.
“For me, EU candidacy is an important signal. An important signal for our people, who defend their country and European values. I think this is a very important step. I understand that many countries have come a long way – years in terms of application and years in terms of membership, “said the President of Ukraine.
“It is incorrect to compare us with countries that have passed the peaceful path of candidacy. We are going through a war for freedom and independence, for these European values. We are not only wasting time. We lose people. I really want to believe that Portugal will also be on this side of the world, “Zelensky stressed.
Volume of construction products produced by type in of Jan 2022 (mln UAH)
SSC of Ukraine
The National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) lifted a restriction on May 21 that allowed authorized institutions to sell cash foreign currency to customers with a deviation from the official no more than 10%, the press service of the regulator said on Friday.
Relevant changes were adopted by the NBU Board Resolution №102 of May 20, which was published on the Central Bank’s website and comes into force on May 21.
The document also removes similar restrictions on setting the exchange rate at which banks write off hryvnia funds from customers’ accounts if customers pay with hryvnia cards abroad.
“Removing restrictions on the exchange rates at which banks sell currency to the public will improve the working conditions of legal market participants. This will increase competition, increase liquidity in the legal segment and reduce illegal transactions. All this will make the foreign exchange market more stable and reduce exchange rate amplitude. fluctuations in its cash segment, “the press service of the Deputy Head of the NBU Yuri Geletiy was quoted as saying.
At a meeting on Friday, the Ukrainian government approved the composition of the delegation to begin negotiations with the European Union on an agreement on road freight transport between Ukraine and the EU, said Prime Minister Denis Shmygal.
“This means the maximum possible liberalization in this matter and in the issue of access to European ports,” he said, opening the meeting.
The Prime Minister pointed out that, according to the operative data of the State Customs Service, the total value of goods exported from Ukraine in April amounted to $ 2.7 billion, which is twice lower than in April 2021.
“Every day the government team works to increase the capacity of our western border. We are building a new logistics system. We are opening new checkpoints, green corridors. We have simplified customs as much as possible so that businesses can export products freely and quickly,” Shmygal said.
During the sowing season 2022, Ukraine sowed 11.84 million hectares of land with the main agricultural crops, which is 82.2% of the 14.4 million hectares planned for the current season, including 1.94 million hectares, the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food announced on Friday.
According to the data published on its website, as of May 19, the area under sunflower crops is 3.94 million hectares (80% of the 4.93 million hectares planned for 2022), corn – 4.17 million hectares (86% of 4.85 million ha), spring barley – 927,500 ha (92.6% of 1.02 million ha), spring wheat – 188,600 ha (99.4% of 189,600 ha), oats – 156,800 ha (95.8% of 163,600 ha), peas – 124,800 ha (86% of 145,700 ha).
In addition, the sown area under potatoes is 1.07 million hectares (90% of 1.19 million hectares), soybeans – 728,600 ha (78.6% of 1.25 million ha), sugar beet – 182,000 ha (88% of 206,900 ha), spring rapeseed – 28,400 ha (95.3% of 29,800 ha), millet – 32,100 ha (51.5% from 62,300 ha), buckwheat – 37,400 ha (46% of 81,600 ha).
“The sowing season in Ukraine continues. As a result, almost 98% of the areas projected for spring wheat have already been sown,” the Ministry of Agrarian Policy said in a statement.
In addition, in 2021, winter crops were sown for the 2022 harvest on a total area of 7.7 million hectares, including 6.5 million hectares of winter wheat, 1 million hectares of barley and 0.16 million hectares of rye.
In January-April this year, Ukraine reduced the import of aluminum ores and concentrate (bauxite) in quantity terms by 47.5% compared to the same period last year, to 932,928 tonnes.
According to statistics released by the State Customs Service, during this period, bauxite imports in monetary terms decreased by 42.3%, to $46.830 million.
At the same time, imports were carried out mainly from Guinea (60.58% of supplies in monetary terms), Brazil (27.96%) and Ghana (7.64%).
Ukraine did not re-export bauxite in January-April 2022.
