KYIV. MAY 10 (Interfax-Ukraine) – European Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighborhood Policy Johannes Hahn has said Ukraine, Georgia and Kosovo may qualify for the visa-free regime with the EU in 2016.
There still needs to be a political decision, but Ukraine, Georgia and Kosovo have already met the necessary criteria, Hahn told Radio Liberty Europe/Radio Liberty.
The commissioner said that Ukraine has fulfilled its obligations, which gives its citizens the right to the visa-free entry into the European Union, however Ukraine still has a long way to go, not only to adopt the necessary legislation on the association with the EU, but also to implement it.
Hahn said he was well aware of the challenges which Ukraine is facing – the continued armed conflict, half a million displaced persons and serious economic problems.
On April 20, the European Commission offered the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union to cancel visas for Ukrainian citizens.
The same day, Ukraine’s President Petro Poroshenko said he was sure that European Union would grant free visa regime for Ukrainians already within several months.
KYIV. May 10 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Sales of new passenger cars in Ukraine in April 2016 increased by 72% compared to the same month in 2015, to 5,630 units, which allowed this market segment in January-April to grow by 56%, to almost 18,000 cars, reports AUTO-Consulting.
According to analysts, car sales in April compared to March of the current year rose by 15%.
At the same time, AUTO-Consulting notes that not all the dealer networks in April recorded a surge of interest on the part of buyers – everything depended on the range and attractive pricing policy.
Leadership in the market in April was kept by Toyota, which for the first time over the past few years was able to overcome the mark of 800 cars sold per month and occupied 14% of the market.
Volkswagen ranked second in April, a Jetta model accounted for almost half of the sales. Volkswagen sales increased by 2.3 times from March, to 625 units, while the share in total car sales rose to 11.1% compared to 5.56% in March.
Renault ranked third and increased sales by 4.5%, to 534 cars, while the share compared to March slightly fell to 9.48%.
KYIV. May 10 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Capital investment in residential real estate in Kyiv under transactions carried out by Blagovist and Park Lane real estate agencies (both based in Kyiv), part of First Realty Group, in April 2016 increased by 24% compared to March and amounted to $23.784 million, while the number of purchase and sales transactions rose by 1.4%.
Blagovist said, with reference to its CEO Halyna Melnykova, this data includes the calculation of the cost of a transaction in the national currency at the average exchange rate to U.S. dollars on the day of the transaction.
“We observe a gradual increase in the number of transactions and the volume of market capitalization. This is due to the fact that the current market conditions are favorable for both sellers and buyers. First of all, this is facilitated by the stability of prices. Price correction took place in 2015, and the cost of facilities remains almost unchanged since the beginning of this year. According to our forecast, the situation will not change significantly in the short term,” the expert said.
According to the report, in the total number of First Realty Group transactions in April 2016 the share of deals in the price range of up to $50,000 was 27%. The largest demand was fixed for one- and two-room apartments in Darnytsky, Desniansky, Sviatoshynsky, Pechersky and Shevchenkivsky districts in Kyiv.
KYIV. May 10 (Interfax-Ukraine) – The Ministry of Economic Development and Trade at a meeting about liberalizing forex regulation with the participation of representatives of the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) and the Finance Ministry reached an agreement to develop a roadmap for minimizing bureaucratic obstacles.
According to a report on the website of the ministry, the meeting was chaired by First Vice Prime Minister, Minister Economic Development and Trade Stepan Kubiv on the initiative of the ministry, which was supported by Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman at a cabinet meeting on April 27.
Participants at the meeting discussed the simplification of investment abroad, liberalization of currency regulations, the obligatory sale of foreign currency earnings, the return of foreign exchange earnings and simplifying banking procedures.
The ministry said the NBU had already taken some steps to mitigate requirements for the mandatory sale of foreign currency earnings and liberalization of currency regulation with the aim of returning dividends to foreign investors.
As reported, the NBU by decree No. 140 dated March 3, 2016 (valid until June 8, 2016) once again extended major foreign exchange restrictions, but increased the daily limit on the sale and withdrawal of foreign currency from ATMs.
KYIV. May 10 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Ukraine saw a 2.3-fold rise in sales of new buses in Ukraine in January-April 2016 year-over-year, to 345 buses, the Ukrautoprom association has reported.
The press service of the association said that Ataman bus was a leader in sales (made by Cherkasy Bus) with 109 buses sold – almost five times more than a year ago.
Ruta buses made by Chasiv Yar Buses (Donetsk region) were second with the market share of 16%. Some 56 Ruta buses were sold (8% up).
Russia’s PAZ is third with 41 buses sold and 12% of the market share (4.5-fold rise).
Russia’s GAZ is fourth with 37 buses sold (2.5-fold rise) and 11% of the market share.
Some 36 I-VAN buses were sold (made by Zaporizhia Automobile Plant).
Sale of buses in April grew by 2.3 times, to 79 buses. Ruta buses sales were the largest – 21 buses were sold compared to 18 in April 2015.
Ataman buses were second with 19 buses (2.1-fold rise), I-VAN buses were third with 11 buses sold.
KYIV. May 10 (Interfax-Ukraine) – The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) will issue a loan to Chernivtsi to implement an investment project to improve the urban public transport infrastructure through purchase of 40 new trolleybuses, related equipment and modernization of traction substations and contact networks.
According to Chernivtsi City Council, an agreement of intent on preparing loan financing for the project was signed on May 5 by Chernivtsi Mayor Oleksiy Kaspruk, Director of Chernivtsi Trolleybus Department Ivan Ivanichek and EBRD Senior Banker Denis Gaiovy.
According to Gaiovy, preparation for credit financing, during which the exact amount of a loan and its conditions will be determined, will last for several months.
“Today we are looking forward to the amount of EUR10 million. We expect the loan to be granted for 13 years with a possible three-year grace period, but this must be confirmed by the bank board of directors and the decision of Chernivtsi City Council,” he said.
As reported, in August 2015 it became known that the EBRD is mulling the issue of EUR100 million to several Ukrainian cities to improve public transport infrastructure with a focus on renovating and improving the efficiency of transport – Odesa, Chernihiv, Chernivtsi and some other cities of the country under municipal guarantees.
