President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has announced the success of infrastructure development in Ukraine, as well as digitalization, the press service of the president of Ukraine has reported.
“In these two and a half years, we have started the digitization of the state. We are number one in Europe today. And the Servant of the People party was involved in that as well,” the presidential press service quoted Zelensky as saying when speaking in Truskavets on Saturday, where a visiting session of the Servant of the People parliamentary faction was taking place.
Zelensky added that Ukraine is also the first in Europe in terms of road construction now. “Statistically, we build the most per month. Number one in Europe!” the President noted.
The Head of State also noted the liquidation of the State Architectural and Construction Inspectorate.
“So be a little proud of yourself and the difficult path. When we talk about land reform, there are many questions about how slow it is. But I believe that this is a challenge and a victory, on which I want to congratulate you,” the President said.
He noted that there are many challenges in the field of medicine in the country, which was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. “But today I see a medical team. We have elected a minister, a committee is working, and we are ready for challenges,” Zelensky stressed.
The President also stressed that the Office of the President and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have done a lot for Ukraine’s international agency, and this is the most important victory this year.
“A lot yet not enough. Why not enough? I will explain. We do not have time to expect that we will be taken to the European Union: ‘let’s wait another five years.’ You know we have a war. I do not want to complain. I think we are powerful. And today our policy is ‘brazen’. And I am convinced that without a strong international policy, without such ‘boldness’ no one will see Ukraine’s steps forward,” he said.
In addition, the presidential press service noted that working groups with the participation of deputies and ministers (eight clusters) on the details of the Plan of Transformation of the country initiated by him in the following areas: military security and international relations; energy independence and “green” transformation, human capital, technological development and market transformations, infrastructure and local development, food hub, digital hub and rule of law.
“These clusters contain goals and KPIs for relevant areas until 2023, projects and reforms to be implemented, and laws to be enacted,” the message reads.
DIGITALIZATION, INFRASTRUCTURE, POLITICS, PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE, PRESIDENT ZELENSKY
The profits of ports should be returned to the cities in which they are located for the development of their infrastructure, Mykolaiv Mayor Oleksandr Senkevych has told Interfax-Ukraine on the sidelines of the International Mayors Summit (IMS).
“Mykolaiv was a city of shipbuilders. Now the factories are standing idle, Mykolaiv has turned into a port city. However, we do not receive money from the port infrastructure to the local budget, except for personal income tax and land lease,” Senkevych said.
He recalled that last year the net profit of the Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority amounted to more than UAH 2.6 billion.
“I think that this amount needs to be “halved.” Half of the profits is to be divided between the port cities, in proportion to the transshipment of goods. Cities should receive a portion of what they have earned for the country. Then we will be able to restore our infrastructure,” he said.
In his opinion, it will be possible to talk about the restoration of production and the attraction of significant investments in shipbuilding after the adoption of a law on technology parks. Senkevych considers promising a mechanism for the establishment of tax credits and preferential rates by local governments.
“Roughly speaking: they built a plant for EUR 100 million, you are provided with a tax credit for 50% of this amount for five to seven years. Personal income tax and land tax are paid from this amount. It is profitable for the enterprise to work officially, pay high salaries to employees,” Senkevych said.
Ukraine and China have signed an intergovernmental agreement providing for the expansion of cooperation between the two countries and the promotion of joint projects in the infrastructure construction sector, as well as the raising of Ukrainian funds on concessional terms from the People’s Republic of China.
According to the statement on the website of the Infrastructure Ministry of Ukraine on Tuesday, June 30, the relevant agreement was signed by Minister of Infrastructure Oleksandr Kubrakov and Minister of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China Wang Wentao.
Among the priorities of cooperation are rail transit, airports, ports, communications and municipal engineering.
Under the agreement, Ukraine and China will encourage companies and financial facilities in both countries to cooperate actively in the construction of infrastructure facilities, as well as to promote closer economic ties between the two countries and to provide necessary assistance and accompaniment in the implementation of joint projects.
The agreement also provides for the mobilization of funds on concessional terms from the Government of the People’s Republic of China necessary for the implementation of infrastructure projects.
As a result of the joint consultations, the sides will approve potential cooperation projects, which will be supported by PRC funds.
During the Ukrainian-Moldovan political consultations, Deputy Foreign Minister of Ukraine Vasyl Bodnar and State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of the Republic of Moldova Dumitru Sokolan discussed the status of implementation of the agreements reached during the visit of President of Moldova Maia Sandu to Kyiv in January 2021.
“The parties ‘synchronized watches’ regarding the nearest political contacts at the highest and high levels. Vasyl Bodnar informed about the preparations for the inaugural summit of the Crimean platform and the celebrations on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the restoration of Ukraine’s independence on August 23-24,” the statement on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website said on Thursday, March 25.
It is reported that considerable attention was paid to the implementation of cross-border infrastructure projects, primarily the construction of a bridge across the river Dniester in the area of Yampil-Koseuts settlements, the parties positively noted the progress in this case.
“Bodnar and Sokolan emphasized the importance of an early resumption of negotiations between the authorized authorities in order to resolve the entire range of issues related to the functioning of the Dniester hydroelectric complex, as well as to complete the process of demarcation of the Ukrainian-Moldovan border,” the Foreign Ministry said.
The parties checked their positions on expanding the legal framework between the two states in various fields.
A separate topic of the consultations was regional security issues, in particular the threats associated with the presence of Russian military units in the Transnistrian region of Moldova.
The Deputy Minister said that Ukraine is determined to continue supporting territorial integrity and sovereignty of Moldova within the internationally recognized borders, as well as to be an active participant in the negotiation process on the Transnistrian settlement.
“We regard the withdrawal of Russian troops from the territory of the Transnistrian region of Moldova as a matter of national and regional security,” the ministry’s press service quoted Bodnar as saying.
The parties discussed steps to strengthen bilateral trade and economic cooperation and implement energy projects.
In addition, it is reported that in context of humanitarian cooperation development, Bodnar asked to accelerate the ratification by the Moldovan side of the agreement signed on December 17, 2009 between Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova on cooperation in ensuring the rights of persons belonging to national minorities (Ukraine ratified it on October 5, 2010).
The parties discussed ways to deepen cooperation with the EU in context of implementation of the two countries’ course towards European integration. The diplomats also exchanged views on the efforts of the governments of Ukraine and Moldova to counter the spread of the COVID-19 epidemic.
Investments in the infrastructure of the Bukovel ski resort in 2020 amounted to $ 15 million, and in general, since 2002, some $ 400 million has been invested in it, Bukovel co-owner Oleksandr Shevchenko has told Interfax-Ukraine.
“We managed to keep the attendance at the level of last year, despite the COVID crisis, primarily due to the wide and flexible offer,” Shevchenko said at the Ukraine.30 forum.
According to him, the average cost per tourist also did not change – about EUR150 per day, however, one can find a place for accommodation from UAH 50 per day, many people bought ski passes in advance: in summer they were on a special offer with a 50% discount.
Shevchenko says that thanks to Bukovel, more than 50,000 places of accommodation have been created, and more than 100,000 local residents are employed in the tourism industry.
He also announced readiness to join the reconstruction of the airport in Ivano-Frankivsk, which would improve the quality of the resort.
“We are ready to engage in the reconstruction with the forces available to us, invest our own funds in the terminal. Considering the state monopoly on the runway, we are ready to offer our participation in its restoration,” the Bukovel co-owner told the agency.
According to him, the renovation and completion of the runway would provide Ivano-Frankivsk with international air gates and increase the attractiveness of the region for foreign tourists.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky and Prime Minister of Spain Pedro Sánchez discussed areas of cooperation between the countries, including energy, infrastructure, digitalization and cybersecurity.
“Energy, infrastructure, digitalization, cybersecurity – there are many areas in Ukraine for cooperation with Spain. I am glad to speak with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, our mutual understanding is a step towards warm and effective relations between the two countries. I wish you health! I will be glad to see you in Ukraine!” Zelensky wrote on his Twitter page.
The interlocutors noted the importance of holding the fourth meeting of the Ukrainian-Spanish Joint Intergovernmental Commission on Economic and Industrial Cooperation this year in Kyiv, the presidential press service reported.
The leaders also discussed the development of trade and economic cooperation between the two states.
“Spain is one of Ukraine’s main trading partners in the European Union and maintains its position as Europe’s largest importer of Ukrainian grain. We are ready to continue being a reliable strategic supplier of grain products to Spain,” the Ukrainian President said.
The Spanish Prime Minister said that he would assist Ukraine in obtaining the vaccine both at the level of bilateral relations and at the EU level.
In addition, particular attention was paid to the signing of the Common Aviation Area Agreement between the European Union with Ukraine. “I am grateful to the Spanish party for its efforts and willingness to facilitate the signing of this long-awaited and mutually beneficial agreement. I expect a positive decision from the EU in the coming weeks,” Zelensky said.
