Biosphere Corporation has noted a sharp increase in demand from European countries for the TM Smile antibacterial wipes it produces in the context of the rapid expansion of the coronavirus epidemic, the corporation told Interfax-Ukraine.
“The increase in demand for antibacterial wipes is understandable: it’s easier to protect yourself from any virus than to cure. Observing the EU trends, we are ready for the predicted surge in consumer activity in Ukraine, especially with regard to the demand for Smile Antibacterial wipes with alcohol,” head of business product line Hygiene of Biosphere Corporation Oleksandr Lavrov said.
According to the corporation, the demand has grown seven times in Poland, 10 times in Bulgaria, three times in Lithuania and two times in Estonia.
Representatives of the Council of Europe have expressed their readiness for cooperation with Ukrainian law enforcement authorities in the field of the implementation of the provisions of the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime, ensuring the increase in the level of countering cybercrimes and investigating them. Head of the Cybercrime Division at the Council of Europe Alexander Seger gave this information after a meeting with the leadership of the Cyber Police Division of the National Police, the press service of the National Police of Ukraine has reported.
“We see that Ukrainian law enforcement agencies are interested in improving the situation with the legislative settlement of the issue of collecting digital evidence. We are ready to help in this by providing appropriate advice and sharing with the Ukrainian side the best practices that have already been implemented in the legislation of many European countries,” Seger said.
The Cyber Police Division presented its concept for the implementation of certain provisions of the convention, which are currently not available in Ukrainian legislation and which were supported by experts.
It is reported that cyber police, together with other executive bodies, is working with committees of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine to bring Ukrainian legislation in line with European one.
“The experience of countries that have fully implemented the Budapest Convention shows that such mechanisms significantly accelerate and increase the effectiveness of the police in countering and identifying persons committing crimes, including in cyberspace,” the cyber police said.
Oil transit through Ukraine to European countries in 2019 decreased by 1.6% (by 208,200 tonnes) compared to the same period in 2018, to 13.127 million tonnes, JSC Ukrtransnafta has reported.
The volume of oil transportation to oil refineries in the country in 2019 amounted to 2.382 million tonnes, which is 13.4% (281,300 tonnes) more than in 2018.
Thus, in 2019, the share of transit volume in the total transportation of oil (15.509 million tonnes) was 84.6%, the share of pumping to the country’s refineries was 15.4%.
In December 2019, oil transit through Ukraine by pipelines decreased by 5.7% (by 69,700 tonnes) compared to the same month of 2018, to 1.160 million tonnes, while pumping to the country’s refineries increased by 18.1% (by 31,700 tonnes), to 207,100 tonnes
Oil transit through Ukraine to European countries in January-November 2019 decreased by 1.1% (by 138,400 tonnes) compared to the same period in 2018, to 11.967 million tonnes, according to data from JSC Ukrtransnafta. The volume of oil transportation to oil refineries in the country for the 11 months amounted to 2.175 million tonnes, which is 13% (249,600 tonnes) more than in the same period in 2018.
Thus, in January-November 2019, the share of transit volume in total oil transportation (14.142 million tonnes) amounted to 84.6%, the share of pumping to the country’s refineries some 15.4%.
In November 2019, oil transit through Ukraine by pipeline increased by 33.6% (by 334,700 tonnes) compared to the same month of 2018, to 1.330 million tonnes, pumping to the country’s refineries by 10.5% (by 19,700 tonnes), to 206,800 tonnes.
The crisis in Ukraine and around Ukraine is the key problem of security on the European continent, OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Slovakia’s Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajčák said in an interview for the Faces of Peace project.
“The number of casualties we have seen in eastern Ukraine in the past five years is higher than anything we have seen elsewhere in Europe this century,” he said.
Lajčák said the OSCE’s Special Monitoring Mission (SMM), which is made up of more than 1,300 members, has done extremely important work since it was deployed in Ukraine during the spring of 2014.
“Our monitors are in the field observing and reporting on ceasefire violations, monitoring the latest developments and the hardship faced by people,” he said.
Lajčák evaluated the current situation in eastern Ukraine, noting that the ceasefire agreement starting on July 21, 2019, was a positive development leading to a significant decrease in the number of casualties among the civilian population and ceasefire violations.
“Nevertheless, unfortunately recently (As at October 11, 2019) there were days when there were more ceasefire violations than before recommitment,” he said.
Lajčák focused attention on the fact that “positive dynamics between Russia and Ukraine led to the exchange of prisoners” and noted important steps in taken under the aegis of the Trilateral Contact Group on regulating the situation in Donbas, where the sides agreed to the process of withdrawing forces and the so-called Steinmeier Formula. He also noted repair work done to help people crossing the bridge in Stanytsia Luhanska.
Lajčák expressed the hope that there would soon be a summit of Normandy Four leaders (Ukraine, Germany, France and Russia).
“There have been very good discussions within the Normandy Format that will, I hope, lead to a long-awaited Summit of the Normandy Four leaders,” he said.
Slovakia has had the rotating chairmanship of the OSCE since January 1, 2019, when Lajčák became Chairperson-in-Office. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Vadym Prystaiko has invited him to jointly visit Stanytsia Luhanska and inspect infrastructure repairs there.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that Ukraine and Slovakia would do their best for ensuring stable supplies of gas to Europe.
“Ukraine and Slovakia are reliable gas transit countries, and we will make every effort to ensure uninterrupted gas supplies to the European market,” he said at a briefing in Kyiv on Monday after meeting with Slovak President Zuzana Čaputová.
