KYIV. Oct 5 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Epicenter K LLC, part of the Epicenter group of companies (both based in Kyiv) and developing a network of eponymous hypermarkets in Ukraine, in January-June 2016 increased revenues by 21.3% compared to the same period a year earlier, to UAH 14.2 billion.
Epicenter K CEO Petro Mikhailishin voiced such data in an interview with the TOP 100 edition.
According to him, in 2015 the company increased revenue by 19.3% compared to 2014 and it amounted to UAH 27.8 billion.
Speaking about the plan for the development of the Epicenter network in 2016-2017, the CEO noted that, first of all, the company intends to invest in the construction of new and completion of already opened shopping centers, which now show a rapid growth trend.
“This year Epicenter K has opened the third shopping center in Lviv and started the reformatting of Epicenter hypermarkets in Chernivtsi, Ivano-Frankivsk, Odesa, and Mukacheve. We continue to launch small trade centers (ranging from 2,000 to 6,000 square meters) in district and regional centers. We have recently opened shopping center in Shepetivka and Bila Tserkva,” he said.
KYIV. Oct 5 (Interfax-Ukraine) – More than 6,000 used foreign cars with preferences for excise 172 have passed customs clearance at reduced excise duty rates since the beginning of August, according to the press service of the State Fiscal Service, with reference to its head Roman Nasirov.
“Some 6,008 cars have passed customs clearance under the new rules since the entry into force of the law on the temporary decrease in excise duty. The total amount paid for customs clearance is almost UAH 270 million,” the press service said.
As reported, 1,315 cars passed customs clearance under the new rules in August, i.e. 4,693 used cars have passed customs clearance since early September.
Under the law, individuals and legal entities can by December 31, 2018 import one car per year not older than the 2010 year of production, which can be resold only after a year.
KYIV. Oct 5 (Interfax-Ukraine) – The European Investment Bank (EIB) will open a credit line of EUR200 million to finance investment in urban public transport to 20 municipalities in Ukraine.
According to a bank report on its website, the board made the corresponding decision on September 23 this year.
The EIB notes the project is aimed at increasing the frequency and regularity of public transport in the medium-sized cities of Ukraine. It is expected that the funds will also help reduce harmful emissions by switching to electric transport. This will have a positive effect on the local economy.
The total project cost is estimated at EUR 400 million.
As reported, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) in October 2015 approved the issue of EUR 100 million to public transport enterprises in Odesa, Chernihiv, Chernivtsi and several other cities in the country under the guarantees of municipalities to improve public transport infrastructure focusing on renovating and improving its efficiency.
KYIV. Oct 5 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Ukraine’s Agricultural Policy and Food Ministry and South Korea’s Posco Daewoo have signed a protocol of intent to implement a project to upgrade agricultural machinery in Ukraine for small and medium-sized farmers.
The ministry’s press service reported that the protocol was signed by Deputy Minister for European Integration Olha Trofimtseva and Posco Daewoo Corp. Senior Executive Vice President Kim Se-Hyun.
“With the signing of the protocol the sides agree to design a joint program on provision of small and medium-sized farmers in Ukraine with newest agricultural machinery. It will help to make an important contribution to the stabilization and consequent development of its agro-industrial complex,” Trofimtseva said.
Next step in cooperation is to be the creation of a joint working group to draft an action plan to start the implementation of the program.
KYIV. October 5 (Interfax-Ukraine) – The Council of Europe plans to allocate EUR 45 million to support reforms in Ukraine, Foreign Affairs Minister of Ukraine Pavlo Klimkin has said.
“The Day of Ukrainian reforms in the Council of Europe. The Council of Europe’s action plan for Ukraine envisages 45 million [euro] to support Ukrainian reforms, which is the largest support package for a member state in the organization’s history,” he wrote on Twitter.
The foreign minister also said that Ukraine in the future will continue to work with the Council of Europe for the sake of reforms in the country and to strengthen rule of law and human rights in Europe.
KYIV. Oct 3 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Full transition to insurance medicine and the medical reform in Ukraine should take place within three years: a gradual transition to the application of the principles of health insurance is to begin in 2017, while the final model to be formed in 2020, the press service of Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine Pavlo Rozenko said.
“According to our program, the full transition to insurance medicine and medical reform should take place within three years in order not to shock either people or the doctors’ community,” the press service quoted Rozenko.
The deputy premier said that the health system is switching from the principle of financing of hospital beds to the principle of financing services provided to patients. The mechanism of “money follows the patient” is introduced.
“This process is complicated and painful. It is not fully accepted by the medical community as it is necessary to go through the competition, improve the quality of services,” Rozenko said.
In early September Deputy Health Minister Pavlo Kovtoniuk said the Ministry of Health plans to introduce a plan of implementation a national health insurance system in Ukraine in 2017. It involves changes in the legal framework, including laws, the adoption of the Cabinet decisions.
According to Ukrainian insurers – participants of the sixteenth International Financial Forum, which was held in Odesa on September 14-17, 2016, voluntary development and implementation of compulsory health insurance are in need of stimulation, in particular, by supporting bill No. 4981 “On Compulsory Social Health Insurance in Ukraine”, organizing its promotion and refinement in the relevant committees of the Verkhovna Rada.
Head of the Health Committee of the Verkhovna Rada Olha Bohomolets registered alternative bill No. 4981-2 in the Verkhovna Rada in early August. The bill provides for the introduction of compulsory state social health insurance in Ukraine from January 1, 2018.
