The Supervisory Board of PJSC “National Depository of Ukraine” (NDU, Kyiv) announced the extension of the deadline for accepting applications from candidates intending to participate in the competitive selection process for the position of NDU Board Chair until April 22 inclusive.
“To attract a wider range of candidates and ensure the selection process is as transparent and competitive as possible,” the announcement on the NDU website states.
According to the announcement, the selection process will take place in two stages: in the first stage, all interested parties submit their applications to participate in the competition, and in the second stage, interviews will be held with the selected candidates.
Afterward, the supervisory board will submit recommendations regarding the candidate for the position of CEO for consideration at the general meeting of NDU shareholders, who have the authority to make this decision.
It is noted that candidates, among other things, must have at least five years of experience as a manager in capital markets and/or organized commodity markets and be thoroughly familiar with “the issues and trends in the development of Ukraine’s capital market, particularly the stock market infrastructure, legislation governing professional activities, as well as experience working in foreign capital markets.” During the interview, they will be required to briefly present their vision for the depository’s strategic development in the medium term.
As reported, from June 2021 until the end of December 2025, Alexey Yudin served as the head of the NDU’s board, and currently, until the conclusion of the competition, Marina Adamovskaya holds that position; she has served as deputy head of the board since June 2019.
In early September 2025, the National Bank announced the launch of a memorandum of cooperation in support of an integrated capital market infrastructure, signed in Rome in July of this year with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) with the participation of the Ministry of Economy, the Ministry of Finance, the National Bank, and the National Securities and Stock Market Commission (NSSMC). The first stage involved optimizing the ownership structure and corporate governance of the NDU by transferring the state’s stake to the NBU for management.
Next, plans call for the creation of a holding company involving a reputable international strategic investor (an operator of trading and post-trading infrastructures) selected through an open tender, international financial organizations, local market participants, and the state/state-owned banks.
This holding company, in turn, will establish a new stock exchange in Ukraine, which will replace the National Bank as the majority owner of the central clearing institution—the Settlement Center. Additionally, this exchange will hold a minority stake in the NDU, while the National Bank will hold the majority stake.
The final stage should be the consolidation of depository services under the NDU, which is to function as a single central securities depository, by transferring to it the functions of accounting for and servicing government bonds from the National Bank.
In addition to managing the state’s 25% stake in the NDU, as of September 24 of this year, the National Bank directly owned 25%, with another 10.9399% belonging to its Corporate Pension Fund, while the state-owned Oschadbank and Ukreximbank held 24.9903% and 9.9903%, respectively. At the same time, the National Securities and Stock Market Commission (NSSMC) appoints the trustee for the shares of Oschadbank, Ukreximbank, and the NBU’s Corporate Pension Fund, but this provision of the law on the depository system is expected to be amended as part of the infrastructure reform.
Another 4.0795% of the shares were owned by 27 legal entities and 2 individuals; specifically, Yelena Nusinova held 1.7054% of the shares, and Odessa Privatization Center LLC, owned by former NSSMC member Viktor Ivchenko, held 1.7151%.
Serbia will allocate EUR2 million to support Ukraine’s energy sector במסגרת a joint project with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Telegram channel “Serbian Economist” reported, citing official data.
According to the report, the Government of the Republic of Serbia and UNDP signed an agreement providing for the financing of the procurement and delivery of high-voltage transformers. These are critical pieces of equipment needed to restore electricity transmission systems and ensure stable power supply.
The funds will be provided under UNDP’s green energy recovery programme for Ukraine. The initiative is aimed at supporting basic services in the regions most affected by the war, including electricity, heating and water supply.
Serbian Ambassador to Ukraine Andon Sapundji said that Belgrade’s contribution is intended to support critical infrastructure and help ensure uninterrupted energy supply for the population.
In turn, UNDP Resident Representative in Ukraine Auke Lootsma stressed that Serbia’s assistance will contribute not only to the restoration of damaged facilities, but also to the modernization of Ukraine’s energy system.
According to international estimates, since 2022 Ukraine’s energy infrastructure has suffered extensive destruction. Total losses in the sector are estimated at $88.2 billion, of which about $17.1 billion relates specifically to the power sector, including generation and transmission.
The project is being implemented as part of cooperation between Ukraine and the United Nations in the field of sustainable development and is in line with the strategic goal of transitioning to a more resilient and modern energy system.
Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko reported on her meeting with Canada’s Secretary of State for International Development, Randip Sarai, with whom she discussed new steps in cooperation—ranging from funding for energy resilience to joint projects in the areas of housing for veterans and the development of strategic resources.
“I briefed him on the government’s work to prepare for the upcoming heating seasons as part of regional stability plans, as well as on Ukraine’s key needs for energy equipment to develop distributed generation. We highly appreciate Canada’s consistent support in strengthening our state and the recently announced contribution of 20 million Canadian dollars to the Ukraine Energy Support Fund,” she wrote on Telegram.
Svyrydenko thanked Canada for its willingness to cooperate in establishing a veterans’ support fund, which is intended to strengthen the reintegration system for Ukrainians after their service. “We look forward to further cooperation, particularly in sharing expertise in the field of construction of housing for veterans,” she emphasized.
In addition, she said, the two countries discussed cooperation in the field of critical minerals and the development of mineral deposits. The parties agreed to deepen cooperation in geological exploration.
Svyrydenko also invited Canadian partners to become active participants in an international donor conference aimed at mobilizing efforts to restore a new safe confinement at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant following the Russian attack.
According to Fixygen, starting April 1, 2026, cigarette manufacturers and importers in Ukraine will be required to apply a multiplier of 1.1 to the minimum excise tax liability, resulting in the minimum excise tax rising from €82 to €90.2 per 1,000 cigarettes. This was reported by the State Tax Service of Ukraine.
As explained by the tax service, the multiplier is being introduced for the period from April 1 to December 31, 2026, since, according to the results of the 2025 tax declaration, the share of the total excise tax in the weighted average retail price of cigarettes amounted to 58.8%, which is below the 60% threshold established in the Tax Code. The State Tax Service also published the estimated weighted average retail price of cigarettes at 6,537 UAH per 1,000 units.
The base rate of the minimum excise tax liability for 2026 was set by Law No. 4115-IX at 82 euros per 1,000 cigarettes, and the application of a 1.1 multiplier effectively raises it to 90.2 euros. The law also provides for a further increase in this rate to 86 euros in 2027.
According to market experts, this change could lead to a 10% increase in retail prices for cigarettes, and a pack could become approximately 10 UAH more expensive.
According to Serbian Economist, the authorities in Kotor, Montenegro, welcomed a group of 40 children from Ukraine aged 14 to 18, who arrived in the city as part of a humanitarian visit organized with the participation of the municipality and the Ukrainian Embassy in Montenegro.
According to a municipal announcement, the children are staying in Kotor from March 23 to 28, and the Ukrainian association “Dobro djelo” also participated in organizing the trip. At an official reception at the Byzantine Palace, the guests were welcomed by the Mayor of Kotor, Vladimir Jokić; the Ambassador of Ukraine to Montenegro, Oleg Gerasymenko; the Chairman of the Municipal Assembly, Vojin Batuta; Deputy Mayor Stojan Milović; and the Secretary for Culture, Sports, and Community Activities, Tatjana Krieštorac.
As Jokić noted, the host’s mission is to give the children at least a few days of peace and a sense of a normal childhood, interrupted by the war. During the meeting, city representatives emphasized that they want the stay in Kotor to become a bright memory for the Ukrainian teenagers and a time of respite from the realities of war.
The Ukrainian Ambassador to Montenegro thanked the municipality and residents of Kotor for their support, emphasizing the importance of such initiatives for children experiencing the consequences of war.
A packed program was prepared for the guests, including visits to Kotor’s museums, a boat ride around the bay, a trip to Perast, a tour of St. Tryphon’s Cathedral, a trip to Plavi Horizonti, a walk along the city’s fortress walls, as well as sports and other group activities.
https://t.me/relocationrs/2518
The Norwegian government is tightening its rules regarding refugees from Ukraine: men aged 18 to 60, with some exceptions, will no longer be granted temporary protection in the country; this change will take effect shortly (Relocation).
“Since the fall of 2025, too many people have arrived in Norway, especially young men. Norway has already accepted the largest number of Ukrainians in Scandinavia, and Norwegian municipalities are reporting strain on the service delivery system and a shortage of housing. “That is why we are tightening the restrictions,” said Minister of Justice and Emergency Situations Astrid Hansen. “We also consider it important that as many people as possible remain in Ukraine to join the defense effort and support the functioning of Ukrainian society,” she added.
The change in regulations will mean that men aged 18 to 60 will no longer be covered by the temporary collective protection mechanism, under which temporary residence permits are granted based on a group assessment. Those applying for asylum will have their applications processed in the usual manner.
The government has provided for certain exceptions to these stricter requirements.
“First, they will apply only to new applicants and will not affect those who already have temporary collective protection in Norway. The stricter requirements will also not apply to minors or men over 60 years of age, men who have documented proof of exemption from military service or are clearly unable to perform it, or individuals evacuated under the medevac program. An exception is also made for men who are the sole caregivers for accompanying children or children in Norway. This applies only to the child’s father or another close family member,” the government statement noted.
