The existence of two value-added tax (VAT) exemption thresholds within a single VAT system is an anomaly that must be eliminated, but this decision will have to be made immediately after martial law ends, according to Danylo Getmantsev, head of the parliamentary committee on finance, tax, and customs policy.
“I promised the people that I would not change the single tax system until the end of the war. And I am keeping that promise. As you can see, the law has not been adopted. You have not heard me support it in the version proposed by the Ministry of Finance,” he said in an interview with the “Interfax-Ukraine” news agency.
According to the committee chair, the next session of the Verkhovna Rada will decide on a single tax limit, and for them, there will be no alternative.
Getmantsev emphasized that, overall, Ukraine needs to implement a reform of personal income taxation, part of which is the reform of the single tax, and noted that this is provided for in the National Revenue Strategy for 2024–2030.
“We must implement the Polish flat-rate tax model: cash registers from the start, turnover limits of up to EUR2 million, and a single VAT threshold for both sole proprietors and others. The specific amount can be discussed, but it must be uniform. And within the framework of the flat-rate tax, there should be different rates for different types of activities,” the committee chair noted.
In Poland, the VAT exemption threshold was raised this year from 200,000 to 240,000 zlotys, which is approximately EUR56,600, or nearly 3 million hryvnias.
According to Getmantsev, the rate is 3% for retail trade and 10% or higher for services.
“We simply need to follow Poland’s example and make such a serious, correct decision once and for all. But that will have to wait until after the war,” he added.
The committee chair also believes that all these changes must be implemented at once, rather than gradually “chipping away at the problem piece by piece,” because that is an entirely unproductive approach.
“I cannot support any half-measures, because in reality they generate just as much negativity and backlash as major decisions and reforms, but with far less impact. Therefore, after the war, there must be a major reform of personal income taxation, including the flat tax. Incidentally, a progressive tax scale is also provided for there. This is the right decision, and I strongly support it,” Getmantsev noted.
At the same time, he supported the adoption this year of a law to simplify VAT administration, the text of which is currently expected from the Ministry of Finance.
“I believe that until the threshold for sole proprietors is reached—for example, EUR2 million based on the Polish model—tax invoices should not be blocked at all, even if VAT is paid. In other words, the rules for blocking tax invoices should not apply to sole proprietors until they reach the single tax threshold. And there are many other measures that simplify administration,” said the head of the relevant parliamentary committee, among other things.
As previously reported, the adoption by the end of March of this year of a law abolishing the VAT exemption under the simplified tax system was a condition of the new program with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), launched at the end of February of this year. It was later reported that the deadline for fulfilling this requirement had been postponed by approximately one year.
In addition, at the end of May, the Verkhovna Rada ratified the terms for providing Ukraine with macro-financial assistance as part of a loan from the European Union to support Ukraine. Under these terms, a bill containing measures to reform the preferential tax regime must be submitted to parliament by the end of the year, which will generate additional revenue of at least 70 billion hryvnia per year.
Getmantsev, TAX, WAR
Bogdana Layuk, Ukraine’s Deputy Minister of Culture, believes that literary awards are one of the most effective ways to influence readers’ tastes, but Ukraine currently lacks them.
“In fact, this is the case in every country. And today, romance and dark fantasy are at the top of the charts everywhere: that’s the spirit of the times. People are trying to escape reality and enter another, imaginary world, such as the one offered by fantasy literature… I think it’s worth considering how bestseller lists are formed and who can influence them: how market players affect this and how the state can influence it. One way to exert such influence is, for example, through prestigious literary awards. “We all follow the Booker Prize, which is one of the most prestigious awards in the English-speaking world,” said Layuk in an exclusive interview with the “Interfax-Ukraine” news agency, responding to a question about the reading preferences of Ukrainians.
She noted that when a book makes it onto the longlist and then the shortlist—for example, for the Booker Prize—and ultimately wins, it has a massive impact on sales.
“And that’s what we call the ‘high shelf.’ “I think we should consider how the reading infrastructure is formed and how we can influence it—both as the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine and as bookstores, publishers, cultural centers, and cities. And literary awards are one of the most effective ways to influence the formation of such best-seller lists,” the deputy minister added.
When asked whether there are enough literary awards in Ukraine, Lajuk stated that, in her opinion, there is currently a shortage of such awards in Ukraine.
“In fact, there are a great many literary awards in Ukraine. But the question is how they influence the discourse, whether they affect sales, and whether they bring the author recognition, fame, and money. In my opinion, Ukraine currently lacks such awards. And when we look at the experience of European Union countries, we see that there are state and non-state awards, national awards, as well as regional and city awards,” the deputy minister noted.
As an example, she cited the “Angelus” Prize in Wrocław for literature from Central and Eastern Europe, which has been awarded at various times to Ukrainian authors: Yuriy Andrukhovych, Oksana Zabuzhko, Serhiy Zhadan, and Kateryna Babkina.
“Awards serve very different functions in literature. But a literary award should give the author a chance to pause and reflect on what he or she wants to write next. Because truly outstanding novels don’t just happen by chance. They don’t come about when a writer pens them at 3 a.m. during the first five free minutes of the day. An outstanding book requires space. And we must—both as a country and as a cultural community—create that space so that Ukrainian writers can write new, outstanding books,” Lajuk believes.
As previously reported, Ukraine has the following literary awards, among others: the Taras Shevchenko National Prize of Ukraine, the BBC Book of the Year, “Coronation of the Word,” the Yuri Shevelov Prize, the Lesya Ukrainka Prize, the Pavlo Tychyna Prize, the Maksym Rylsky Prize, and several others.
According to The Serbian Economist, Albania’s Ministry of Finance has submitted a draft bill for public discussion that would increase property taxes and revise the system of tax breaks for homeowners.
Under the proposal, the tax on residential real estate could rise from the current 0.05% of the property’s value to 0.1–0.2%. Higher rates are also proposed for commercial properties, with the total tax burden depending on the property category and its intended use.
One of the key changes concerns owners of second and subsequent properties. If the property is not their primary residence, tax exemptions will not apply. Thus, owners of vacation homes, investment apartments, and additional housing will have to pay the full rate.
In effect, the government is attempting to distinguish between social housing and investment real estate. For families who own only one apartment, the tax increase may be partially offset. For owners of multiple properties, the tax burden will rise more significantly.
The reform is particularly important for Albania’s real estate market, where housing prices have risen rapidly in recent years in Tirana, Durres, Vlora, Saranda, and other locations linked to tourism and investment demand. Amid active construction, interest from foreign buyers, and the growth of short-term rentals, the government is seeking to increase local budget revenues and align property taxation more closely with the market value of assets.
Albania is gradually transitioning from the old model of fixed or low taxes to a more modern system where the tax base is tied to the property’s value. This approach is in line with the recommendations of international financial organizations, but it could prove painful for property owners, especially if the cadastral and market valuations of residential properties are revised upward.
For foreign investors, these changes mean that the annual cost of maintaining a second home on the coast or an investment property in Tirana will become somewhat more expensive. That said, even after the increase, the tax burden in Albania will remain relatively moderate compared to many EU countries.
The key question for the market is how exactly the authorities will assess property values and how quickly the new system will be implemented in practice.
The Albanian real estate market remains one of the most dynamic in the Balkans. Growth in tourism, the development of coastal cities, and interest from foreigners are sustaining demand; however, the tax increase could gradually cool speculative purchases and widen the gap between residential housing and investment real estate.
https://t.me/relocationrs/3077
Ukrainian producers won 73 medals at the 2026 Decanter World Wine Awards, one of the largest international competitions in the wine industry.
This result confirms the growing international recognition of Ukrainian winemaking, even amid the war, infrastructure destruction, logistical challenges, and a decline in domestic demand.
This year, Decanter evaluated nearly 17,000 entries from 58 countries. The jury consisted of 245 experts, including 63 Masters of Wine and 24 Master Sommeliers. The evaluation was conducted blind.
The highest-scoring Ukrainian wines in 2026 achieved 94 points. This score was awarded to Chateau Chizay Late Harvest Furmint 2022 and Shabo Grande Cuvée Extra Brut 2015. In the Decanter system, 90–94 points correspond to a silver medal, 95–96 to a gold medal, and 97 and above to a Platinum medal.
Other highly rated Ukrainian wines include Shabo Grande Reserve Cabernet Franc–Merlot–Saperavi 2023 and Beykush Amphora Rkatsiteli 2024, which each received 93 points. Odesos Winery Limited Edition Cabernet Sauvignon–Odesa Black–Merlot 2023, Shabo Grande Reserve Pinot Noir 2024, and Gigi Winery Qvevri 2024 each received 92 points.
Shabo emerged as one of the leaders in the Ukrainian rankings. According to the specialized Ukrainian wine resource UWines, seven of the producer’s wines received scores ranging from 87 to 94 points. Among them were the sparkling Grande Cuvée Extra Brut 2015, the red blend Grande Reserve Cabernet Franc–Merlot–Saperavi 2023, and the Grande Reserve Pinot Noir 2024.
Beykush Winery also posted strong results. The winery received high marks for its Amphora Rkatsiteli 2024, Telti-Kuruk 2025, Artania 2024, Pinotage 2025, and Arbina Rkatsiteli 2023.
Chateau Chizay from Zakarpattia stands out in particular. Its Late Harvest Furmint 2022 received 94 points and became one of the two highest-rated Ukrainian wines of the year. The Founder’s Reserve Furmint 2023 and Troyanda Karpat 2021 were also recognized.
The results show that Ukrainian winemaking is becoming more diverse in terms of styles and regions. Among the award winners are producers from Bessarabia, the Odesa region, Transcarpathia, Podolia, Galicia, and other regions.
The Odesa Black grape variety remains one of Ukraine’s most consistent categories. Among the recognized wines are Vinoman Odesa Black 2023, Leleka Wines Odesa Black 2023, Terra Bessarabia Odesa Black 2025, Bolgrad Select Collection Odesa Black 2025, Villa Tinta Odesa Black 2021, and other examples.
Orange wines have also emerged as a strong category. At Decanter, the following were recognized: Beykush Amphora Rkatsiteli 2024, Chateau Pinot Pinot Blanc Orange 2022, Shabo Limited Edition Rkatsiteli-Chardonnay 2022, 46 Parallel El Capitan Orange 2024, Zelenytsi Muscat Orange 2024, and Gigi Qvevri Orange 2024.
For Ukraine, the Decanter results are important not only as industry recognition but also as a tool for promoting the country in international markets. Even amid the war, wineries continue to export, participate in international exhibitions, and build a new reputation for Ukrainian products abroad.
However, the absence of Gold and Platinum medals in 2026 indicates that the Ukrainian industry still needs to improve quality consistency, international promotion, collaboration with export channels, and the recognition of local grape varieties.
The biopharmaceutical company Biopharma plans to launch a plant in Arad, Romania, in late 2027, with an initial investment of EUR85 million, company president Kostyantyn Yefimenko told the Interfax-Ukraine news agency.
“We have already completed construction of the building and will finish installing all utility lines by September 1. We have already ordered the filling line. By the end of June, we will have contracted for the reactor equipment and all other process equipment. We will begin operations in December 2027,” Yefimenko said.
The initial investment in the plant in Arad is EUR85 million; the Romanian project as a whole will consist of four phases of varying sizes. Total investment in the plants in Uzhhorod and Arad is approximately $500 million.
He noted that the company’s development is not focused on a single project.
“Bila Tserkva is our flagship plant. We’re not shifting our focus; we’re developing all of them—Uzhhorod and Arad—and we’ll continue to build in Latin America,” Yefimenko said.
As previously reported, Biopharma plans to launch the first phase of its plant for the production of pharmaceutical products and immunobiological preparations in Uzhhorod in September 2026, which will provide a full cycle of blood plasma processing. The company has already invested EUR67 million in construction; the total cost of the first phase is EUR75 million. According to the plan, the volume of blood plasma-derived drug production in Uzhhorod will be twice that of production in Bila Tserkva, amounting to up to 1.5 million liters of blood plasma per year; the project in Romania is twice as large.
During the “Industrial Evolution: Manufacturing Drives the Economy” forum in Bila Tserkva, Yefimenko also announced that Biopharma had registered its albumin product in Brazil.
Biopharma exports its products to dozens of countries and plans to expand its presence in Europe, the Middle East, and Latin America while continuing to increase its production capacity.
A number of countries in Southern and Western Europe have seen a sharp rise in temperatures to nearly 40 degrees, leading to widespread warnings, transportation disruptions, and strain on infrastructure and ecosystems, according to Reuters.
Spain, France, and Italy have been the hardest-hit countries due to the heat wave in Europe, where air temperatures are approaching 40 degrees. The extreme weather conditions have led to the issuance of elevated danger alerts, disruptions to transportation—particularly rail service—and increased strain on infrastructure and emergency services.
“The heat surge on June 21—the day of the summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere and typically the start of the three hottest months of the year—has raised concerns about the early and prolonged onset of extreme conditions,” the report states.
In Spain, the AEMET weather service issued red and orange warnings, forecasting temperatures of 39–40 degrees across most of the Iberian Peninsula and Mallorca. The heat is expected to last at least until midweek.
In France, due to overheating of the infrastructure, the railway operator SNCF canceled 71 intercity trains. A total of 3,500 employees have been deployed for monitoring and emergency response, with an additional 2,000 staff members on standby.
“The spike in temperatures is caused by a mass of hot air moving northward from the Sahara, intensified by a strong anticyclonic system known as the ‘African anticyclone.’ Meteorologists note that this system creates a so-called ‘heat dome,’ which traps hot air over Western and Central Europe and allows temperatures to rise day after day,” the agency’s report states.
In Germany, where temperatures reached 38 degrees, thunderstorms and power outages were reported during mass events in Berlin.
Meanwhile, in Belgium, wildlife centers are reporting an overload of injured animals, mainly young birds, with about 150 having been brought in over the past few days.
