The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine (Parliament) adopted at first reading bill No. 5308, which proposes the issue of securities for UAH 20 billion for the implementation of the Affordable Mortgage president’s program.
The bill in the first reading was supported by 263 MPs. “The bill provides that the Ministry of Finance shall issue government domestic loan bonds… with the subsequent acquisition of shares in state ownership in exchange for the shares of the additional issue of Ukrainian Financial Housing Company to provide citizens with housing and resolve issues of financial and economic activities of the company in connection with the accession to the State Mortgage Institution,” one of the authors of the bill, a member of the Rada budget committee Lesia Zaburanna said from the rostrum of parliament.
Currently, the activities of the State Mortgage Institution are unprofitable, she added.
According to the lawmaker, the adoption of this bill will allow continuing the implementation of existing state programs and will allow in the short term providing about 8,000 mortgage loans for the purchase of housing. It would be possible to buy 12,000 apartments for subsequent transfer to financial leasing.
The Agrofusion Group of Companies (Mykolaiv) will expand the total growing area for tomatoes by 4% compared to last year, to 8,360 hectares, according to a posting on the website of the agricultural producer.
In addition, in the new production season, 0.1 thousand hectares have been allocated for organic tomatoes.
Agrofusion said that Agrofusion team has begun new tomato paste growing season. In the last decade of March we have started to sow tomato seeds at both Southern and Northern greenhouse complexes. This year our nurseries will grow more than 200 million transplants for the production of tomato paste presented in many countries under the TM Inagro.
According to the company’s website, Agrofusion is a vertically integrated group of companies in Ukraine that grows and processes tomatoes for producers of juices, ketchups and tomato sauces. It includes 10 branches, two greenhouses, three plants for the production of tomato paste (two in Mykolaiv region, one in Kherson region) with a total capacity of up to 750,000 tonnes of tomatoes per season. The total land bank of agricultural enterprises in Kherson and Mykolaiv regions is more than 32,000 hectares of irrigated land.
According to the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), which provided EUR 10 million to the group of companies in September 2020 to finance working capital needs, Agrofusion is the third largest tomato company in Europe, exporting 72% of its products to 45 countries.
Immunization of Ukrainians with the COVID-19 vaccine produced by Chinese company Sinovac (CoronaVac) will start on Tuesday, Health Minister Maksym Stepanov said during a press briefing in Kyiv on Tuesday. “The Ministry of Health has completed all the processes of testing and laboratory control of the vaccine and today we are starting the process of vaccination with this vaccine,” he said.
Stepanov said that 215,000 doses of the vaccine have already been delivered to Ukraine, the remaining 1.7 million doses will be delivered in April-May.
According to him, the vaccine will be used for vaccinations of low-mobility groups of the population, social workers, teachers who will take part in the External Independent Evaluation (ZNO), Olympians, Paralympians who are preparing for the Tokyo Olympics, employees of the National Police, the Armed Forces of Ukraine, workers of critical infrastructure.
Stepanov said that 117,000 doses of Pfizer vaccine are expected to be delivered during the week as part of the COVAX initiative. This vaccine is planned to vaccinate citizens staying at boarding schools, homes for the elderly, as well as employees of these institutions.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky will visit France on Friday, April 16, where he is to meet with President Emmanuel Macron, Le Figaro reported. It is noted that the visit is associated with an increase in tension in Ukraine due to the military buildup of the Russian Federation on its borders. The presidents of the two countries will meet during a working lunch at the Elysee Palace.
As reported, Zelensky may meet with French President Emmanuel Macron to discuss escalation in Donbas and reforms in Ukraine.
“The main purpose of the visit is to meet with Macron tête-à-tête,” French Ambassador to Ukraine Etienne de Poncins said in an interview with KyivPost.
National bank of Ukraine’s official rates as of 14/04/21
Source: National Bank of Ukraine
Official rates of banking metals from national bank as of April 14
One troy ounce=31.10 grams
