President Volodymyr Zelensky signed the law on amendments to certain Ukraine’s legislative acts on government support of culture, creative industries, tourism, small and medium businesses due to the restrictive measures related to the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) disease.
“Creative industries, cultural institutions are among those which suffered most from lockdown. After all, their activities have stopped almost completely and now they live in total uncertainty. These are entire sectors of the economy that are now on the brink of survival. They also pay taxes and provide people with jobs, therefore, need no less support than traditional business sectors,” the head of the state said during signing the document.
The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted law No. 692-IX at second reading on June 16. It was supported by 343 MPs. The document establishes a reduction in property rental fees at the request of the tenant of a cultural institution engaged in entrepreneurial activity using this property, for the entire time that it could not be used.
The document also provides additional opportunities for radio by simplifying procedures by amending the law of Ukraine on advertising.
It is important that the document also stipulates the government support for cinematography in the form of providing a government grant for the development of film projects. It is noted that for national fiction, animated, documentary films, films for children (including artistic and cultural significance), films of artistic and cultural significance (copyright), television films, series and debut films, it can be up to 100% of total estimated cost inclusive.
Amendments are also being made to the law of Ukraine on the rental of state-owned and communal property in order to normalize the provision of paid services in the field of culture and arts by cultural institutions.
India has donated 50,000 capsules of the OMVIR antiviral drug, which is used to treat patients with COVID-19, as humanitarian aid to Ukraine, the Ministry of Health reports.
According to the report, these medications will be enough to treat about 5,000 patients.
“Ukraine is very grateful for the humanitarian aid of 50,000 capsules of the OMVIR preparation. This drug is included in the domestic treatment protocol and our hospitals, identified as supporting in the fight against COVID-19, are very interested in receiving it. This lot is enough to treat about 5,000 patients,” Ihor Ivaschenko, the Deputy Minister of Health for European Integration, said.
Ambassador of India to Ukraine Partha Satpathy noted that, if necessary, there may be additional deliveries of this drug.
Ukrzaliznytsia in January-June 2020 cut cargo transportation to 143.2 million tonnes, which is 8.7% less than during the same time in 2019.
The company said on its Telegram channel for shippers on Monday that export reduced by 5.4% over this period to 38% of the total volume of cargo transportations, import – by 19.4% to 12%, transit – by 10.2% to 5%, and domestic transport services – by 8% to 45%.
In June 2020, cargo transportations reduced by 5.1% to 23.3 million tonnes. Export dropped by 15.8% to 32% of the total volume of cargo transportations, transit – by 11.7% to 4%. Meanwhile, import increased by 5% to 13% and domestic transportation services – by 1.1% to 51% of the total volume of cargo transportations.
The Health Ministry of Ukraine has allowed clinical testing of four domestic medicines with the aim of studying their effectiveness for patients diagnosed with coronavirus (COVID-19).
These medicines include Amizon Max, Amixin IC, Bioven and Corvitin, Health Minister of Ukraine Maksym Stepanov said during a press briefing on Monday.
“Some clinical trials are at the final stage. As soon as results are obtained, conclusions on a possibility of using these medicines for treatment of the coronavirus disease will be made,” the ministry said.
The Health Ministry also monitors the information about the development of COVID-19 vaccines in the world. There is no such vaccine at the moment. AstraZeneca has announced its plans to produce the vaccine. Four countries (Germany, France, Italy and the Netherlands) have created an alliance and preordered the vaccine.
“Ukraine has also addressed these countries with a request for putting our country on the priority list for obtaining the vaccine when it appears,” the ministry said.
The Health Ministry of Ukraine has released an updated list of states of the so-called ‘red zone’, after which it is necessary to undergo an obligatory observation or PCR-testing.
The ‘red zone’ includes the countries, where the incidence rate exceeds 40 per 100,000 of population.
The list still includes French Guiana, USA, Panama, Armenia, Oman, Belgium, Peru, Bahrain, Bolivia, Brazil, Honduras, Kuwait, Sao Tome and Principe, South Africa, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Dominican Republic, Northern Macedonia, Ecuador, Israel, Moldova , Equatorial Guinea, Russia, Cape Verde, Gabon, Colombia, Portugal, Chile, Belarus, Guatemala, Turks and Caicos Islands, Argentina, United Arab Emirates, Montenegro, Kazakhstan, France, Palestine, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kyrgyzstan, Azerbaijan, Seychelles, Luxembourg, Mayotte, Costa Rica, Canada, Singapore, Iraq, Mauritania, CAR, Maldives, Mexico, Bangladesh, Egypt, Guinea-Bissau, El Salvador, Pakistan.
Besides, Eswatini, Albania, Bulgaria and Czech Republic were also added to that list.
Suriname, Antigua and Barbuda, Haiti switched from the ‘red zone’ to the ‘green one’.
Ukraine also in the ‘red zone’ with 62.4 per 100,000 population.
National bank of Ukraine’s official rates as of 13/07/20
Source: National Bank of Ukraine
