The Verkhovna Rada has passed at the final reading government’s bill No. 4543 on unlocking the large-scale privatization process.
An Interfax-Ukraine correspondent has reported that 257 MPs backed the bill with the required 226 votes.
As reported, large-scale privatization was suspended due to the entry into force of Law No. 540-IX dated March 30, 2020, which, in connection with the quarantine, imposed restrictions on the privatization of large facilities – both preparation for sale and holding the auctions. Bill No. 4543 removes this provision.
Ukraine can multiply the production and export of grain, while their industrial processing can increase by no more than 2 million tonnes per year, President of the Ukrainian Grain Association (UGA) Mykola Horbachev said at an online conference on Tuesday.
“The cries about the need to process more inside the country are groundless. It is necessary to create a good raw material base that will show the whole world: if it is profitable to export, then investors will come and build processing plants themselves,” he said.
According to Horbachev, Ukraine could reduce its need for gasoline, which exports 4 million tonnes annually, by adding up to 20% of bioethanol produced from corn.
The president of UGA cited calculations according to which 0.38 tonnes of ethanol can be produced from 1 tonne of corn. Accordingly, to provide the required 800,000 tonnes of ethanol in the form of an additive to gasoline, Ukraine will process about 2 million tonnes of corn.
In addition, Horbachev said that over 20 years Ukraine has increased its corn production 10 times, while this figure is not the limit, since most agricultural producers grow 6-7 tonnes per hectare. He said that there are farms in the country that grow corn using the correct technological processes, equipment and seeds getting 12-14 tonnes per hectare.
“We grow three times more than we are able to consume. We export two-thirds. If we boost our production potential, we will export more and more in percentage,” he said.
According to Horbachev, if Ukraine does not increase grain exports, there will be other suppliers on the global market, and the country will lag behind not only in aircraft and rocket manufacturing, but also in agriculture.
“Traders perform one of the most important functions – they take excess grain that cannot be consumed here in Ukraine from the market,” he said.
National bank of Ukraine’s official rates as of 31/03/21
Source: National Bank of Ukraine
Official rates of banking metals from national bank as of March 31
One troy ounce=31.10 grams
Ukraine together with France will produce high-rise elevators for fire trucks, Interior Minister Arsen Avakov said during the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between the State Emergency Service of Ukraine and the French company Echelles Riffaud. According to the press service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine on Tuesday, the document was signed by the head of the State Emergency Service Mykola Chechotkin, General Director of Echelles Riffaud Benjamin Coustillier and export director of the company Mark Larov.
According to Avakov, a critical situation has developed in the fire and rescue units with modern technical means to extinguish fires and rescue people from high-rise buildings. The minister said that the existing equipment has been in operation for more than 40 years, and 90% of it have already worked out all the established terms of operation.
“Unfortunately, Ukraine has not produced and does not produce such equipment. Therefore, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, together with French partners, agreed on the production of modern firefighting equipment for Ukrainian rescuers,” the Minister of Internal Affairs said.
In particular, we are talking about the production of complexes with lifts up to 33 and 42 meters.
“However, an important aspect of bilateral cooperation is the condition when French-made cars will be assembled at Ukrainian factories. In addition, our specialists will be trained by their French colleagues,” the minister said.
Charge d’Affaires of the United States in Ukraine Kristina Kvien expressed confidence that a telephone conversation between U.S. President Joe Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will take place.
“Secretary Blinken’s remarks confirm that Ukraine will be a high priority for the administration and there’s no doubt that a call between President Biden and President Zelensky will happen,” Kvien said in an interview with Interfax-Ukraine.
In turn, Deputy Political Counselor Lynette Behnke pointed out that the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine hopes that both presidents will be able to talk directly, that it is essential to recall that, nevertheless, much has been achieved at other levels, somewhat below the level of the leaders of the countries.
“In early February, very early in this administration, Secretary Blinken spoke to his counterpart, Foreign Minister Kuleba. Defense Minister Taran has spoken with Defense Secretary Austin. Head of the Presidential Office Yermak spoke to National Security Advisor Sullivan. Other senior officials will connect in the near future. And every day at Embassy Kyiv we are working together with our Ukrainian counterparts on our common priorities,” she explained.
Behnke noted that both the White House and Secretary of State Blinken have repeatedly stressed the United States’ commitment to supporting Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
“The Secretary made a very strong statement supporting Ukraine on the 7th anniversary of the purported annexation of Crimea. He made a special video to underline his personal commitment. The Biden administration has wholeheartedly welcomed Ukraine’s Crimean Platform initiative,” she added.
“Meanwhile, our security and development assistance continues unabated. To give a concrete example, we announced another tranche of $125 million in security assistance on March 5,” Behnke said.
