Retail trade in comparable prices (both by legal entities and individual entrepreneurs) in Ukraine in January-November 2019 grew by 10.4% year-over-year, the country’s State Statistics Service said on Friday.
In November 2019 alone, retail trade increased by 2.8% from October 2019 and by 12.8% from November 2018.
The highest retail trade growth in January-November 2019 year-over-year was recorded in Kyiv region (by 19.8%), Vinnytsia region (by 18.9%), Ternopil region (by 17.2%), and Luhansk region (by 16.5%).
The State Statistics Service says its report does not include data from temporarily occupied territories, namely the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, the city of Sevastopol and certain districts in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
Ukraine delivered 248 tonnes of snails of its own production onto the European market in January-September 2019, while shipments of snails to the EU in the 12 months of 2018 totaled a mere 93 tonnes. The number of domestic enterprises eligible to supply snail products onto the EU market has increased over two years, the Ukrainian government said on its website on Wednesday.
“According to the results of the third quarter of this year, 17 enterprises received such license. In 2018, there were only five of them,” the Cabinet said.
Ukraine and Slovakia have approved the contents of the agreement determining the conditions of the use of airspace of Slovakia at the Uzhgorod international airport, the Infrastructure Ministry of Ukraine has reported on its website.
The parties discussed the provisions of the intergovernmental agreement determining the conditions of the use of part of the airspace of Slovakia for the provision of air traffic services by a certain Ukrainian air navigation services prov
ider at the Uzhgorod airport and agreed on the draft version of the agreement.
“Prior to signing by officials authorized by the respective governments, the agreement is subject to domestic approval procedures in accordance with the procedures for the formal functioning of international agreements that exist in each country,” the ministry said.
Minister Vladyslav Krykliy said that the Ukrainian side would ensure the passage of domestic approval procedures as quickly as possible and hoped for the same actions by the Slovak side. м
He also said that during the visit of Slovak President Zuzana Čaputová to Ukraine on September 16, 2019, the heads of state confirmed the need to intensify the work of the parties in order to conclude the relevant agreement as soon as possible.
The German-Ukrainian Fund (GUF) jointly with financial partners – OTP Leasing, Oschadbank and Ukrgasbank – has started implementing the FinancEast program to finance investment projects of small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) in government-controlled areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
An Interfax-Ukraine correspondent has reported that GUF signed agreements with OTP Leasing, Oschadbank and Ukrgasbank under the program in Kyiv on Thursday.
To implement the FinancEast program, the European Union provided Ukraine with a grant of EUR 9.5 million through the German development bank KfW. Grant resources will be provided to SME in the form of compensation up to 50% of the cost of investment projects financed by OTP Leasing, Oschadbank and Ukrgasbank. Investment projects include the purchase of agricultural machinery, equipment, vehicles, installation, construction and reconstruction of premises on a lease or loan.
“I am very glad that this program was decided to be implemented on the basis of GUF. We are impressed that this program is aimed at investments, at hryvnia lending to the regions that need financing most. And with the help of GUF we provide what our creditors require – transparency, reporting and effectiveness of these programs,” GUF Executive Director Oleh Strynzha said at a briefing.
First Deputy Governor of the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) Kateryna Rozhkova said that the NBU is taking a number of measures aimed at enhancing lending, including lending to SME, which can become a driving force for the country’s economic development. “In December, we eased the requirements for banks when lending to private entrepreneurs and new enterprises. And we hope that this will greatly facilitate not only the work of banks, but also the entrepreneurs themselves… The second point: we continue working on the development of such instruments as guarantees and compensation tools for SME together with our donors and the government,” she said.
The visa-free agreement between Ukraine, Northern Macedonia will enter into force on December 22, 2019.
“To northern Macedonia without a visa on an ongoing basis: both short and long-term (immigration) visas have been cancelled!” said State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Andriy Zayats on his Twitter page.
The agreement provides for visa-free travel with biometric passports for a short stay (up to 90 days during 180 days), cancellation of long-term visas for stays of more than 90 days for the purpose of employment, study, family reunion and/or immigration.
In addition, according to the agreement, it is possible to apply for other categories of long-term visas free of charge.
Three companies from Qatar and Ukraine have announced that they will participate in a competition for concession of the Olvia stevedoring company, according to a posting on the website of the Infrastructure Ministry. According to the report, two of the three companies are prequalified to participate in the next stage. “As for the third, the tender committee has not yet made a decision, since the application was submitted on the last day,” the ministry said. Tender proposals for participation in the tender were submitted by QTerminals company (Qatar) and associations of Peters Maritime Agency LLC and Protti-Gasoline LLC (both from Mykolaiv).
Infrastructure Minister Vladyslav Krykliy said that $66 million of investments and at least $3 million of government investments over the next 35 years are expected from the implementation of the concession project in the Olvia stevedore, as well as $3 million of annual concession payments.
The next stage, during which the competitive bods of the participants will be evaluated and the winner determined, will be held on January 21, 2020.
As reported, four companies will participate in the Kherson seaport concession tender.
