Ukraine expects to start receiving Indian vaccines against COVID-19 in early April, Health Minister Maksym Stepanov said.
“We see that there is a corresponding problem, and we are monitoring the political processes that are taking place in India, that they have withheld vaccines for everyone, without exception. But I think that this delay will not last too long. I think that nevertheless, somewhere in early April, we must obtain permission and start receiving vaccines from India. I am optimistic about this,” Stepanov said on the air of Right to Power (Pravo na Vladu) program on the 1 + 1 TV channel on Thursday evening, March 25.
Ukrcement proposes to exclude from the agreement on a free trade zone (FTA) with Turkey commodity items that are fully provided by its own manufacturer, head of the Ukrcement association Pavlo Kachur told the Interfax-Ukraine agency.
“The signing of an agreement on a free trade zone with Turkey for the cement industry poses a serious threat. We have transferred our position to the Ministry of Economy and the trade representative of Ukraine,” Kachur said.
The expert emphasized the need for a particularly balanced government policy in the context of the global economic crisis, so that under the slogans of free movement of goods not to lose their own manufacturer and not to leave tens of thousands of Ukrainians without work.
“The established production capacity for the production of cement in Turkey is 140 million tonnes of cement per year. In Ukraine, this figure is more than 10 times less. Turkey’s own cement consumption is about 60 million tonnes. This means that an importer with such capacities that Turkey has, playing with price policy, can easily destroy the production of cement in Ukraine,” said Kachur.
He emphasized the effectiveness and efficiency of the Big Construction program in the fight against the crisis.
“This program has become a lifeline for the entire construction industry during the global economic crisis. In the event of the signing of an FTA agreement with Turkey, the funds allocated from the budget of Ukraine, the funds of Ukrainian taxpayers, will support the producers of the neighboring state, instead of supporting their own,” he said.
He stated that the cement industry in Ukraine is able to fully provide consumers with high-quality cement that is competitive in the European market.
“The cement industry is developing and modernizing. Billions of dollars are invested to maintain high quality products, reduce emissions, reduce CO2 emissions. In March 2021, the cement plant in Balakliya resumed clinker firing, the kilns of which were shut down by the former Russian owners for ten long years. This will further strengthen the ability of the cement industry of Ukraine to provide its own market with cement,” Kachur summed up.
The head of the Ukrcement association expressed hope that the manufacturers’ arguments will be heard.
In September 2020, the Interdepartmental Commission on International Trade launched an investigation into the import of Portland cement and clinker cement from Turkey to Ukraine.
The import of these items in 2019 increased nine times, and according to the results of January-August 2020 – 13 times compared to the same period of the previous year.
According to the State Statistics Service of Ukraine, in 2020 the volume of exports to Turkey decreased slightly – to $2.436 billion (by 7% compared to 2019), imports increased slightly – 2.415 (by 2.5%).
Foreign direct investment in the economy of Ukraine as of 09/30/2020 (balance, $ million).
NBU
Foreign direct investments in the economy of Ukraine for the iii quarter of 2020 (operations, $ million).
Minister of Health Maksym Stepanov welcomes the import of vaccines to the private market, but spoke about the nuances.
“In order to import a vaccine, it must first be registered. We have now adopted a fast registration regime for emergency use. We welcome the import of vaccines by any business to the private market,” Stepanov said on the air on the Ukraine24 TV channel.
According to him, in the near future due to the frenzied demand for vaccines in the private market, some countries prohibit the export of their vaccines from the territory where their production is located, despite the concluded contracts and paid funds.
“Therefore, they are sold exclusively to states. We are in constant communication with all manufacturers of vaccines, asking about the possibility of their appearance on the private market,” Stepanov said.
The minister also explained the possibility of bringing Cuban vaccine against COVID-19 to Ukraine.
“We must first look at the documents in order to draw conclusions,” Stepanov said.
President Volodymyr Zelensky signed law No. 1320-IX on amendments to certain legislative acts of Ukraine to prevent excessive pressure on business entities, which was adopted by parliament on March 4, 2021, the presidential press service said on Thursday. “The law allows local authorities to exercise control over the observance of labour legislation at enterprises, institutions and organizations of communal property of the respective territorial communities,” the press service said in a statement.
It is noted that local government authorities can also take the initiative to carry out a public audit at enterprises that are not in communal ownership, as well as in relation to individuals, entrepreneurs using the labour of hired employees.
“The executive authorities of village, settlement, city councils can contact the central executive agencies implementing public policy on state supervision and control over compliance with labour legislation, or its territorial agency (State Labour Service of Ukraine) on violations by a business entity of legislation on labour and employment of the population,” the President’s Office said.
The President’s Office said that the executive authorities of city councils and merged territorial communities are deprived of the right to draw up protocols on administrative offenses for violation of labour and employment legislation.
“Among other things, the law proposes to exempt the State Labour Service of Ukraine and its territorial agencies from paying court fees when considering cases in all courts,” the President’s Office said in the statement.
The document also amends the Code of Ukraine on Administrative Offenses, according to which, for failure to comply with legal requirements or prevent officials from the central executive agency implementing public policy on supervision and control over compliance with labour legislation and its territorial agencies, or preventing their officials for the implementation of measures of state supervision provides for a fine for officials from 50 to 100 non-taxable minimum incomes of citizens.
This law comes into force one month after the date of its publication.
