Business news from Ukraine

Business news from Ukraine

UKRAINE, LITHUANIA MULLING SUPPLY OF KCBW RAILCARS FOR LITHUANIAN RAILWAYS

KYIV. June 5 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Ukraine and Lithuania are mulling the possible ways of organizing supplies of freight and passenger cars, and diesel and electric trains made by public joint-stock company Kriukov Car Building Works (KCBW, Poltava region) for Lithuanian railways, including the setting up of joint production.

The Infrastructure Ministry of Ukraine said in a press release that the issue was discussed at the 16th meeting of the intergovernmental commission for trade, economic and research cooperation, as part of international transport week on June 2 in Odesa.

Ukrainian Infrastructure Minister Andriy Pyvovarsky headed the Ukrainian delegation and Lithuanian Economy Minister Evaldas Gustas headed the Lithuanian delegation.

According to the press release, the parties also agreed to continue active work on the promotion of the Viking train project to the Turkish market, taking into account the development of two possible routes: by the Black Sea or via Romania and Bulgaria.

The sides also expressed their mutual interest in the development of container shipments using the Viking train.

“In the context of the readiness of Azerbaijan to join the project in the near term [this] was assessed as a good prospect to attract freight shipments from the Central Asia and China via the TRACECA transport corridor,” reads the press release.

There is an ongoing agreement to electrify the IX-B international transport corridor to increase the economic attractiveness of the train.

The Ukrainian delegation said at the meeting that in 2016-2017 the Korosten-Ovruch- Slovechne section will be electrified, which is part of the IX-B corridor. Lithuania plans to finish electrification in early 2016.

POROSHENKO POINT AT NECESSITY OF ACCELERATING DEREGULATION PROCESSES

KYIV. June 4 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko supports the quick deregulation in Ukraine and the reduction of the number of services provided by state authorities, as they are additional obstacles both for business representatives and ordinary citizens, the president’s press service has reported.

“If we are talking about the simplification of business conditions in Ukraine, if we want to demonstrate to the world that the country has radically changed, the issue of deregulation is a top priority,” he said at the seventh meeting of the National Reforms Council.

The press service said that the issue must be settled at the legislative level.

“We must choose priorities and develop a model. Then we must provide expert evaluation and settle this issue legislatively in the nearest time,” Poroshenko said, adding that the current system solely creates conditions for corruption.

The president expressed hope that the prime minister and lawmakers will endorse respective bills on the acceleration of deregulation.

UKRAINE MUST COMPLETE ALL TECHNICAL TASKS BY LATE AUGUST TO OBTAIN VISA FREE TRAVEL TO EU IN 2016 – POROSHENKO

KYIV. June 4 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Ukraine must complete all the technical tasks it has been set by the EU by late August 2015 to be granted a visa-free regime in 2016, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has said.

“This is not long to come, but we need the relevant breakthrough to make the good finish. All technical tasks are to be fulfilled by late August, as in September we’re waiting for the EU mission. I personally will control the tough schedule every day, and the government must feel the large responsibility they have,” Poroshenko said while addressing the parliament in his annual speech on Thursday.

“Once again we felt powerful European unity at the Eastern Partnership summit in Latvia. Despite the fact that Ukraine is in a state of war, despite the fact that part of our border is not under our control contrary to our desire, despite the fact that there are thousands and hundreds of thousands of refugees exiled by Russia from their living places… the prospect of visa free regime was first registered in the calendar,” Poroshenko said.

ABOUT 200 STATE ENTERPRISES OUT OF 1,800 ARE OF VITAL IMPORTANCE TO UKRAINE; PRIVATIZATION WILL CONTINUE – POROSHENKO

KYIV. June 4 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has said Ukraine should continue the privatization of state enterprises.

“Of course, I support the thorough control of the parliament over privatization. The more transparent it will be, the better it is. I also support the idea that you, dear lawmakers, will set the rules of privatization and a list of facilities under a proposal of the government. We have over 1,800 enterprises. We have no more than 200 [enterprises that are] vitally important for the state. Of course, we would not sell Ukrzaliznytsia or defense enterprises, but who can explain me why the state needs stud farms which are also on the list of companies that are not subject to privatization?” he said while addressing the parliament in his annual speech on Thursday.

“Finally, the major part of the enterprises put on the list of companies that are not subject to privatization has not received any kopeck of investment during two years and they are doomed to failure in a competitive fight,” he said.

Poroshenko said that equipment and technologies at the enterprises are at the level of the 1930s.

“They would not survive if they do not receive effective direct investment and effective management both from domestic and western investors,” he added.

UKRAINIAN EXPORT TO EU GROW 12% IN 2014 – HEAD OF EU DELEGATION IN KYIV

KYIV. June 3(Interfax-Ukraine) – Ukrainian exports to the European Union went up 12% in 2014, “if one doesn’t take account of last December and January, which were poor months,” said the head of the EU Delegation to Ukraine, Jan Tombinski.

Though the EU-Ukraine free trade treaty takes effect on January 1, 2016, the Union has already lifted its import duties for Ukrainian goods.

“Despite all the economic difficulties we can see slow but important growth of exports from Ukraine to the EU,” Tombinski told Forbes Ukraine. He said exports to all other destinations had suffered “a major drop,” however.

NBU REGISTERS WEBMONEY.UA AS NATIONAL PAYMENT SYSTEM

KYIV. June 3 (Interfax-Ukraine) – The National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) has registered the WebMoney.UA payment system with the register of payment systems, reads a report issued by WebMoney.UA on the official Facebook page.

“WebMoney.UA has got the official status of the national payment system. The system was included in the relevant section of the register of NBU payment systems on May 21 this year,” reads the report.

The company also noted that because of its new official status, WebMoney.UA’s legal basis has been strengthened, accordingly legal guarantees for system users and the possibility of monitoring its work by the NBU has increased.

The company added that obtaining official status won’t affect tariffs, the order of funds withdrawal, and other procedures provided by WebMoney.UA.

As reported, in 2013 the then Income and Tax Ministry of Ukraine searched company and froze UAH 60 million held in its accounts. Afterwards, the central investigation department found that the rules of the system’s operations were not agreed with the NBU.