The Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine (AMCU) on Wednesday imposed a UAH 80.11 million fine on JSC Dniproazot, a monopolist in the liquid chlorine market, due to the suspension of its production and sale.
“The stopping of production of liquid chlorine by the enterprise during the period from June 18, 2018 to July 19, 2018 and the termination of its sale from July 1, 2018 to July 19, 2018 are recognized as abuse of a monopoly (dominant) position in the market for the primary sale of liquid chlorine,” the committee’s press release says.
According to it, the company argued that production was stopped due to a significant increase in a gas price and the lack of working capital, but the AMCU, following an investigation, claims that there were no significant changes in the weighted average prices for the purchase of natural gas by the company.
In addition, it was established that at the time of the stoppage of production, Dniproazot had circulating and credit funds available for current settlements with counterparties and conducting business activities.
The Committee believes that among the motives for stopping production was the company’s desire to resume legal relations with JSC Ukrnafta to obtain cheaper raw materials and the company’s intention to raise prices for liquid chlorine.
Following the case consideration, it was established that during 2017-2019, Dniproazot was the only enterprise that produced liquid chlorine in Ukraine, with market shares of 99%, 78% and 68%, respectively, the report says.
The AMCU also noted that since the maximum reserves of liquid chlorine at water utilities could not exceed 15-30% of the daily requirement, some of them found themselves in a crisis situation, since they had limited chlorine residues.
“During the period of Dniproazot’s downtime, meetings were held with the participation of government representatives, during which some water utilities warned about the threat of stopping the disinfection of drinking water… The technological process for purifying drinking water is continuous, so a delay in the reagent delivery could turn into an epidemiological catastrophe on a national scale,” the AMCU said.
The AMCU clarified that in July 2018, the price of goods sold by Dniproazot in tanks increased by 277%, in cylinders – by 133%.
The Committee noted that the issue of setting prices by the enterprise during 2017-2019 is being investigated in another antitrust case.
Dniproazot specializes in production of carbamide, ammonia, sodium hydroxide, liquid chlorine and hydrochloric acid and is controlled by the structures of Privat Group.
The Cabinet of Ministers approved the list of goods for 2022, the export of which requires licensing, as well as the list of ozone-depleting substances, goods and equipment from them, the export of which also requires licensing.
The government made the corresponding decision on Wednesday.
According to the draft resolution, the government established zero quotas for silver and gold, the quota for precious metal scrap was 2 tonnes.
As for the list of goods and equipment, which include ozone-depleting and fluorinated greenhouse gases, a number of drugs, dyes, paints and varnishes, cosmetics, lubricants, mixtures, etc. have been introduced.
On December 26, the Mykhailo Pozhyvanov Art Gallery “ABC-Art” and on December 28 at the meeting of the Academic Council of the International European University, the solemn awarding of the World Order of the Star “CREDO” took place.
The Order is given for the contribution to social development of Ukraine’s and world’s most famous people in the following nominations: state activities, public activities, science, medicine, education, culture, art, sports, news coverage, patronage, charity, businesses, law.
The awarding ceremony was initiated by the Committee on Public Awards of Ukraine, Honorary President Dmytro Cherednychenko, according to the decision of the Non-Governmental Organization of Grants, Ratings and Nominations, Honorary President Roman Kashyrin, and according to Cultural Diplomacy International Information Agency, Director Maksym Tiutiunnykov. The event was supported by International European University.
Award winners:
• Franz Vladimir von Habsburg-Lothringen, Grand Duke of Austria, President of International European University;
• Alla Navolokina – First Vice-Rector and Co-Founder of the International European University;
• Mykhailo Pozhyvanov, Ukrainian policymaker, Doctor of Engineering, professor;
• Pavlo Zibrov, People’s Artist of Ukraine;
• Ivo Bobul, People’s Artist of Ukraine;
• Oleksandr Zlotnyk, People’s Artist of Ukraine, Rector of R.Glier Kyiv Municipal Academy of Music;
• Nataliia Shelepnytska, People’s Artist of Ukraine, Ambassador of Peace;
• Vira Revenko, People’s Artist of Ukraine;
• Maksym Zhaldak, Head of Kyiv Regional Center of the Association of Implantologists of Ukraine.
The event also awarded the Ecological Order of the GREEN AWARD to Ihor Beliakov, Director of Odesa Zoo.
The event was moderated by:
• Valery Potemkin – People’s Artist of Ukraine, President of the International Charitable Foundation “Chief Santa Claus”.
• Oleh Pinchuk, People’s Artist of Ukraine, international expert at Shanghai ArtCollection Museum of SRIC, Director of European Art School.
• Roman Kashyrin, Honorary President of the Non-Governmental Organization of Grants, Ratings and Nominations.
The World Order of the Star “CREDO” (motto: Ad Astra) is awarded for the achievements of mankind to the best of the best in various spheres of human life. The composition in the center of the award, the star system closest to the Sun with Alpha Centauri, the star closest to the Earth, the brightest star in the Centaurus constellation, and the third brightest star in the sky, symbolizes the aiming at the highest ideals. The star is a multi-valued image. It is a symbol of eternity, light, great achievements, ideals. Its symbolic aspects are related to the concept of multiplicity (stars in the sky are a symbol of vast varieties), organization and order.
Over the past 12 years, the Order has been given to scientists, cosmonauts, policymakers, artists, musicians, health professionals, diplomatic officials, public figures.
Borys Paton, Hero of Ukraine, President of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, President of the International Association of Academies of Sciences, the first-ever Hero of Ukraine, honorary member of the Rome club.
Semen Potashnyk, Hero of Ukraine, Ukrainian commercial figure, chairman of the board of Ukrhydroenergo PJSC, President of the Association of Ukrhydroenergo, member of the central board of the Scientific and Technical Union of Power Engineers and Electrical Engineers of Ukraine.
Leonid Kadeniuk, Hero of Ukraine, Major General of the Air Forces of Ukraine.
Bohdan Stupka, Hero of Ukraine, Ukrainian film and theater actor.
People’s artists: Larysa Kadochnykova, film and theater actress, Yevheniia Basalaieva, pianist and tutor, Lamara Chkoniia, opera singer, Oleksii Kuzhelnyi, Armen Dzhigarkhanyan, Liia Akhedzhakova, film and theater actress;
Oleh Pinchuk, People’s Artist, sculptor.
Andrii Chebykin, People’s Artist.
Tetiana Faberge, Honorary Head of the Faberge Memorial Fund.
In October 2010, the award was given to former US President Bill Clinton for encouraging the flight of Leonid Kadeniuk, a Ukrainian cosmonaut researcher, into outer space on board of the Columbia US spaceship.
In November 2010, the award was given to Shimon Peres, President of Israel.
Other award winners:
Opera singer Montserrat Caballe.
Actor Pierre Richard.
Singer Thomas Anders.
Michaela Rose (Arabesque).
Musician Gary Moore, etc.
The number of adult Ukrainians vaccinated against COVID-19 will soon exceed 50%, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal has said.
“In the near future, 50% of adult Ukrainians will receive vaccinations. There are enough vaccines for everyone to be vaccinated. Since the beginning of the year, 40 million doses of vaccines have been delivered to Ukraine,” he said, opening a government meeting on Wednesday.
The Cabinet of Ministers has spent more than UAH 35 billion to finance the fight against COVID-19, Shmyhal said.
He added that in 2022 Ukraine would also be provided with a sufficient amount of vaccines against COVID-19.
The State Forest Resources Agency of Ukraine has planted 240 million trees in 2021, it is planned to increase this figure by a quarter, to 300 million in 2022, according to a press release from the department on Tuesday.
“This year, enterprises subordinate to the State Forest Resources Agency have planted 240 million seedlings and saplings. In addition, additional 9 million woody plants have been planted on the lands of other forest users,” head of the agency Yuriy Bolokhovets said.
The State Forest Resources Agency clarified that 59.5 million out of 240 million trees have been planted as part of the presidential program Green Country, which provides for planting 1 billion trees in three years, its implementation began in the summer of 2021.
It is clarified that 51 million trees have been planted in Zhytomyr region, Rivne region – 29.5 million, Volyn region – 23.3 million, and Chernihiv region – 15.6 million.
In the forest-steppe regions, 66.5 million trees have been planted, including in Kyiv region – almost 20 million, Poltava and Sumy regions – almost 10 million each, Cherkasy region – 8.2 million, Kharkiv region – 6.2 million, Vinnytsia region – 5.2 million, Ternopil region – 4.4 million, and Khmelnytsky region – 3.7 million.
In addition, in the steppe regions of the country, foresters have planted 21.3 million trees, including in Luhansk region – 6.6 million, Zaporizhia region – 4.4 million, Kirovohrad region – 3.8 million, and Kherson region – 2.7 million.
According to the State Forest Resources Agency, 30.3 million trees have been planted in the Carpathians in 2021, including 15.1 million in Zakarpattia region, in Lviv region – 8.1 million, and in Chernivtsi and Ivano-Frankivsk regions – 3.5 million each.
Philip Morris tobacco company announced the beginning of recycling electronic devices that the company sells in Ukraine: IQOS, IQOS VEEV and lil.
“Users can return the old device at any IQOS Space store. From there, the electronics are sent for recycling to Philip Morris’s international partner Flextronics International Kft. (Hungary),” the company said in a statement.
According to it, about 608,000 products have already been received for recycling from Ukraine to Hungary, in particular devices, holders and chargers for devices that the company has collected thanks to exchange programs.
The company indicated that it is possible to hand over used sticks, pods, cartridges and even electronic cigarettes from other manufacturers for recycling; their utilization is provided by the Ukrainian partner of Philip Morris – Waste Management Center LLC.
Philip Morris International previously announced its goal to recycle 100% of its smokeless devices by 2025 and reduce plastic waste from its products by 50%. In 2020, the company achieved 84% recycling of IQOS devices (percentage of the weight of each device).
