President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said that he instructed the National Bank, deputies and officials to find an opportunity to guarantee 100% of deposits of Ukrainians in banks.
“This is a special task for the National Bank of Ukraine, for people’s deputies and our officials. I instructed to find such a legislative opportunity that the state would guarantee 100% of deposits in banks. 100%. Not part, as it is now, as usual, but in full. The entire deposit. In any bank of our state. So that people do not lose money and are not afraid of it under any circumstances. So I am waiting for specifics. A draft decision. And I hope that the Verkhovna Rada will not be slow in providing support. Because Ukrainians need it. Ukraine needs it,” he said in a video message on the night of Thursday.
In addition, according to him, “the Cabinet of Ministers will vote tomorrow for a large-scale reduction in regulations.”
“There were more than 600 permits and licenses for business, and about 20 remain mandatory. Only those that simply cannot be cancelled. Like, for example, the management of radioactive waste,” Zelensky said.
According to him, the government has already prepared a decision to expand the lending program for entrepreneurs on the basis of the Affordable Loans 5-7-9% program.
“Any business will be able to get a loan at 0% during martial law plus one month after the war. Then there will be a minimum rate of 5%. And the total amount of the loan can be up to UAH 60 million. To widen the circle of those businesses that can use our program “, the president said.
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the European Union (EU) have agreed a new EUR 50 million programme of financial guarantees aimed at scaling up investment in renewable energy in Ukraine and in the EU’s Southern Neighbourhood with a particular focus on Jordan, Lebanon and Tunisia, the bank has said in a press release.
Under the new programme, the EBRD will provide guarantees to lenders such as local commercial banks, which will allow them to provide financing to projects alongside EBRD loans. The guarantee is expected to help generate total investments of up to EUR 500 million.
This is the first agreement during the bank’s cooperation with the EU through the External Investment Plan (EIP) in the EU neighbourhood regions.
“We’re delighted to partner with the EU for such an urgent cause as climate action. Our lending combined with the EU’s financial instruments encourages more participation of the private sector in investments which are very much needed to face the global challenges of the future, including a more sustainable development model,” EBRD Vice President, Policy and Partnerships Pierre Heilbronn said.
European Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Olivér Várhelyi added that the EU is convinced the guarantee provides sufficient risk cover to attract major private sector investment in countries where not enough such financing is available.
According to the report, through the EIP, to date the EU has allocated EUR 4.5 billion in public funds to leverage EUR 44 billion in public and private investment for development in countries neighbouring the EU and in Africa.
