Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will visit Kyiv on August 18-20 to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, The Times of Israel said. According to the publication, Netanyahu is set to fly to Ukraine for a two-day visit less than a month before the elections to the 22nd Knesset. In Kyiv, Netanyahu will meet with Zelensky and visit the Babi Yar (Babyn Yar) Holocaust Memorial Center.
As reported, Netanyahu in April congratulated Zelensky over the phone on his victory in the presidential elections in Ukraine.
On January 21, Ukraine and Israel signed an agreement on a free trade area (FTA), according to which Israel abolishes about 80% of import duties for Ukrainian industrial goods and more than 9% for agricultural goods. At the same time, Ukraine abolishes about 70% of import duties for Israeli industrial products and more than 6% for agricultural goods.
At that time, Netanyahu welcomed the “strong” Israeli-Ukrainian relations. “These ties have deep historical and cultural roots,” he said.
On July 11, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine ratified an international free trade agreement between Ukraine and Israel.
On August 7, Zelensky signed bill No. 0223 on ratification of the FTA agreement into law.
Boryspil International Airport (Kyiv) in the second quarter and June 2019 topped the rating of ACI Europe among airports for 10-25 million passengers.
Boryspil airport said on Facebook the leading result was provided by the positive dynamics of growth in passenger traffic of 23.7% and 27.6% respectively. At the same time, in the first half of the year Boryspil International Airport ranked second, following Berlin Airport.
ACI Europe monthly compiles a rating of airports by passenger traffic, analyzing data from more than 230 European airports.
Airports Council International (ACI) is the only worldwide professional association of airportoperators. It is divided into the following branches: ACI Europe, ACI Africa, ACI Asia, ACI Latin American/Caribbean, ACI North America, and ACI Pacific.
The goals of the ACI are to represent the interests of member airports of the organization, search for ways of their cooperation with airlines and other partners to create the conditions necessary for the successful functioning of the entire industry, to promote the interests of airport operators in regulatory bodies and legislative structures, as well as in circles that influence the formation of public opinion about airport business.
The Boryspil international airport (Kyiv) in January-July 2019 saw a 21.2% rise in passenger flow year-over-year, to 8.3 million people, the airport’s press service has told Interfax-Ukraine.
The number of transfer passengers, according to the airport, for the period amounted to 1.915 million, which is 2.4% higher than in the first seven months of 2018.
In January-July 2019, 7,740 people were serviced on domestic flights (arrivals and departures) (a rise of 3.3% over the same period in 2018), on international ones – 54,266 people (a rise of 15.7%).
At the same time, the airport did not provide information on the number of passengers serviced on international and domestic flights.
In July 2019, the passenger flow of the airport amounted to 1.625 million people, which is 26% more than in July 2018. The share of transfer passengers of the total passenger traffic was 8.7% down, to 355,600 people.
The occupancy of hotels in Kyiv in January-June 2019 decreased by one percentage point (p.p.) compared to the same period a year earlier and amounted to 48%, the press service of Jones Lang LaSalle consulting company in Ukraine (JLL) has reported. “The first half of this year was marked for the hotel market of the Ukrainian capital by a fall in average operating indicators both in U.S. dollars and hryvnias. Against the backdrop of the very successful first half of 2018, when the Champions League final was held in Kyiv and both occupancy and average tariffs rose, the results this year leave much to be desired. In particular, for the first time since 2014, there was a drop in occupancy between January and June,” Tetiana Veller, the head of the hotel business department at JLL, said.
According to JLL, the average rate for staying in hotels of the upper segment in January-June 2019 decreased by 15% compared to the first half of last year, to $153, the figure in the middle segment decreased by 11%, to $69 per room. At the same time, the occupancy of expensive hotels fell to 43%, while mid-range hotels raised occupancy by 1.5 percentage points, to 53%.
JLL experts explain the decline in the figures with the martial law introduced at the end of 2018, the holding of presidential elections in the country, as well as a significant increase in last year’s performance in connection with the Champions League final in Kyiv.
“Compared to a more “standard” year 2017, market indicators still rose,” the report said.
According to JLL forecasts, in the second half of the year it’s worth expecting an equalization of indicators in connection with completion of the transfer of power, as well as determining the course of the new government.
Vilna Ukraine news agency LLC (Kyiv), owned by the former owners of Aval Bank, on August 8 opened the new River Mall shopping and entertainment center with a total area of 140,000 square meters at 12 Dniprovska Embankment in Darnytsky district of Kyiv.
According to Colliers International (Ukraine), an exclusive broker of the shopping and entertainment center, its concept was developed by the Archpassage Ukraine architectural group together with the international architectural company ChapmanTaylor.
The rental area of the mall is 64,000 square meters. The complex includes a shopping center (55,500 sq m), multi-level ground and underground parking lots for 1,550 cars, as well as a business center and an aqua park. The co-owner of the mall, Serhiy Vovchenko, earlier told Interfax-Ukraine the opening of the water park is planned for summer 2020.
The Planet Kino cinema with an IMAX hall began operating in River Mall on August 1.
River Mall consists of five levels: three on the ground, with shops, a cinema and a food court, and two underground with a parking lot and a supermarket.
On August, 10 and 11 in the «Kyivan Rus Park» the Festival of Medievality «Bylinas of Ancient Kyiv» will take place. A rich program with the performances based on ancient bylinas, horse shows with the participation of more than 30 horses, the reconstructions of the medieval battles, horse-trick shows, a lot of colorful medieval amusements, master-classes, delicious food prepared on open fire, horse riding and a lot of interesting things from the life of the Middle Ages will be waiting for the guests.
Ancient Kyiv opens at 10:00. The program starts at 14:00.
The ticket price: a full adult ticket – 250 UAH, for pensioners and students – 150 UAH, for schoolchildren – 60 UAH, for preschool children – for free.
Ancient Kyiv in the «Kyivan Rus Park» is located in Kyiv region, Obukhiv district, the vill. Kopachiv.
Route taxis leave from Kyiv from the «Vydybitchi» metro station.
Details on the website www.parkkyivrus.com
The Interfax subscribers can save money with the “openbusiness-20” promo code for a 20%-discount for a full price adult ticket to the Principality of Kyivan Rus:
– by previous order by tel.: +38 044 461-99-37, +38 050 385-20-35
– or at the cash desk at the entrance to the «Kyivan Rus Park».
