President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has held a telephone conversation with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and in the context of a possible increase of financial assistance to Ukraine to fight against COVID-19 coronavirus, they agreed to redirect EUR 150 million under a German state loan to relevant needs.
“The parties discussed the situation around the spread of coronavirus in the world, as well as practical measures taken in both countries to counter the pandemic. It was agreed to work out the possibility of establishing information exchange related to the pandemic, in particular regarding medical standards introduced to treat the disease,” the press service of the head of the Ukrainian state reports on Tuesday.
Merkel positively noted the adoption of laws on the turnover of agricultural land and on the regulation of banking. In this context, she also noted the importance of early conclusion of negotiations with the IMF on a new cooperation program.
“They also spoke about the need to allocate additional funding for Ukraine from the European Union and the World Bank,” the message reads.
Representatives of the shopping center development market of Ukraine have sent an open letter to authorities asking to start a dialog on consolidation of actions to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease COVID-19 and taking steps aimed at reviving business activities after the end of quarantine.
“The shopping centers and the companies that are represented in them are among the largest taxpayers. However, today they are most affected by quarantine, because understanding the responsibility and gravity of the situation visitors have limited access to malls. Developers faithfully and promptly complied with the decision of Cabinet of Ministers No. 210 on preventing the spread of COVID-19 in Ukraine,” they said in a collective letter sent on March 30, the text of which is available for Interfax-Ukraine.
In the letter, the developers drew attention to the need: to harmonize the content of the local protocols of the standing commissions of the fuel and energy complex and the emergency response with the resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers; allow the sale of textile masks in malls; provide the opportunity to use public transport for employees of permitted groups of tenants; reduce the amount of VAT and defer the payment of income tax for three months after the end of quarantine; exempt from land fees, real estate tax and income tax; confirm holidays for bank loans; to keep the obligatory payment by the tenants for maintaining malls.
The letter is addressed to the President of Ukraine, Verkhovna Rada, National Bank of Ukraine, Kyiv City Administration, the Bar Association and the European Business Association.
The document was signed by CEETRUS Ukraine Commercial Director Ganna Koryagina, Dragon Capital Property Management Commercial Director Nataliya Kravets, Arricano CEO Anna Chubotina, Chief Operation Officer of Budhouse Group Maksym Havriushyn, CEO of New Business Views (Odesa-based Riviera Shopping City mall) Andriy Brynzylo, representative of Terkury-2 (Podoliany mall in Ternopil) Mykhailo Ibrahimov, Operational Director of Davento Ukraine (network of the Equator shopping centers) Larysa Pervinenko, director of Smena (Hollywood shopping center in Chernihiv) Ruslan Zemliansky, and Commercial Director of Urban Oasis Center Ludmyla Vilischuk.
Official rates of banking metals from national bank as of March 31
One troy ounce=31.10 grams
The Verkhovna Rada at an extraordinary meeting has adopted a law on opening the land market from July 1, 2021 with the restriction of its operation in the first three years only to land plots owned by individuals with a maximum ownership of 100 hectares per capita. According to an Interfax-Ukraine correspondent, 259 MPs voted for bill No. 2178-10 on farmland turnover at second reading and as a whole on Tuesday night with the quorum being 226 votes.
The votes for the law were distributed as follows: Servant of the People with 206 votes, European Solidarity with 23 votes, Holos with 13, Dovira with 12, non-affiliated with five votes. The factions of Opposition Platform-For Life, Batkivschyna, and For the Future group did not give a single vote in support.
The document stipulates that from January 1, 2024 legal entities will be able to purchase agricultural land, the concentration threshold per entity will increase to 10,000 ha. The sale of agricultural land of state and municipal property is prohibited.
In addition, banks get the opportunity to obtain land as recovery of collateral, however, such land plots should be sold at auction within two years.
According to the bill, the access of foreigners to the land market will depend on the results of the national referendum.
In addition, it is stipulated that until January 1, 2030 the selling price of agricultural land plots allocated to land plot holders cannot be less than their regulatory monetary value.
National bank of Ukraine’s official rates as of 31/03/20
Source: National Bank of Ukraine
The lifting of the moratorium on the sale of agricultural land is a significant impetus to the development of the economy, farming and the agro-industrial complex.
“The lifting of the moratorium on the sale of agricultural land is a significant impetus for the development of the economy, farming, the agricultural complex in Ukraine,” Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said on Telegram.
As reported, on the night of March 31, the Verkhovna Rada at an extraordinary meeting adopted a law on opening the land market from July 1, 2021 with the restriction of its work in the first three years only to land plots owned by individuals with a maximum ownership of 100 hectares per capita.
