The article summarizes and analyzes the main macroeconomic indicators of Ukraine. In connection with the entry into force of the Law of Ukraine “On Protection of the Interests of Business Entities during Martial Law or a State of War”, the State Statistics Service of Ukraine suspends the publication of statistical information for the period of martial law, as well as for three months after its termination. The exception is the publication of information on the consumer price index, separate information on statistical indicators for 2021 and for the period January-February 2022. The article analyzes open data from the State Statistics Service, the National Bank, and think tanks.
In the first quarter of 2023, Ukraine’s real GDP fell by 10.5% compared to the first quarter of 2022, after falling by 31.4% in the fourth quarter, 30.6% in the third quarter, 36.9% in the second quarter, and 14.9% in the first quarter of last year.
Overall, analysts expect modest GDP growth in Ukraine in 2023. Thus, the World Bank slightly downgraded its forecast for Ukraine’s gross domestic product growth in 2023 to 2% from 3.3%, which it predicted in January 2023. Raiffeisen Bank maintained its forecast of 1.8% growth in Ukraine’s gross domestic product for 2023.
Maksym Urakin, founder of the Kyiv-based think tank Club of Experts, drew attention to key macroeconomic indicators. “Ukraine’s macroeconomic indicators have stabilized, and international reserves due to borrowings are breaking records, but Ukraine’s negative foreign trade balance is having a negative impact on the economy,” said Maksim Urakin.
Inflation in Ukraine will decline to 15.5% in 2023, and real incomes will increase by 1%, according to the updated improved forecast released by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) following the first review of the EFF Extended Fund Facility program.
Ukraine’s total public debt grew by 3.6% and reached a new historical high: in dollar terms, by $4.37 billion to $124.28 billion, and in hryvnia terms, by UAH 159.9 billion to UAH 4 trillion 544.9 billion, according to the Ministry of Finance website.
At the same time, Ukraine’s international reserves as of June 1, 2023, according to preliminary data, amounted to $37 billion 311.3 million, up 4% or $1.358 billion in May, and have updated an 11-year high, the National Bank reported.
Consumer price growth in Ukraine in May 2023 accelerated to 0.5% from 0.2% in April after slowing from 1.5% in March, 0.7% in February and 0.8% in January.
In January-April 2023, Ukraine reduced electricity production by 19.4% (by 8.8 billion kWh) compared to the same period in 2022, to 36.5 billion kWh.
On Friday, July 31, the conference hall of the Kyiv-based think tank Experts Club hosted the fourth scientific and practical seminar-tasting of vintage drinks for people aged 20 to 80. The event was attended by Ukrainian and international wine experts, retailers and media representatives. Ricardo Nuñez, one of the world’s leading winemakers and an investor in the Ukrainian wine industry, was the guest of honor.
Igor Magalyas, a leading expert collector of vintage alcoholic beverages, introduced the participants to his collection, which includes the most popular Ukrainian and European brands of wines and brandies, including:
1. Italian wine Muscat, produced in 1999, which has a unique bouquet, characterized by luxury and depth.
2. Black Doctor 2005 – a wine with a wonderful multi-component aroma, which harmoniously combines the tones of dark grapes.
3. Massandra sherry made in 1983 is a unique wine from the Crimea, famous for its palette of aromas and flavors.
4. Sicilian semi-dry Marsala of the 1990s – this drink gives off a feeling of rich flavor, complemented by notes of cherry, fruit and vanilla. Marsala is considered one of the most famous Italian wines and is a symbol of Sicilian winemaking.
5. Green apple liqueur from the 1970s – this drink is attractive for its fresh and fruity aroma, with a balance of acid and sweetness. Its unique flavor evokes memories of summer, green apples and outdoor picnics.
6. Apricot liqueur of the 1980s is a sweet, but not over-colored drink that explodes with natural apricot flavors.
7. Poncho 1974 is a citrus alcoholic beverage with a unique flavor bouquet that combines the acidity of lemon, orange and grapefruit with light notes of spices. Made according to a traditional recipe, Poncho is a classic of cocktail culture.
8. Bobadilla 103 Sherry Brandy 1977 – with an unsurpassed bouquet of vanilla, caramel and nuts, this brandy is a model of sherry style. It has a balance between sweet and dry, with a rich and intense flavor.
9. Terry Centenario Sherry Brandy 1975 is a perfect representative of Spanish sherry, known for its deep aroma, with notes of nuts, fruits and spices. Its rich, delicious flavor and long aftertaste are the unique features of this exceptional drink.
10. Sherry brandy from the 1950s is a true relic of the past, with a rich and intense flavor that includes notes of caramel, nuts and dried fruit. This old sherry brandy is a reminder of the long and glorious history of winemaking in Spain.
The most intriguing part of the tasting was the rare dessert drinks, which are a real “living museum” of the alcohol industry of the 1970s. These are four special drinks: grapes, cherries, plums and raisins infused in different types of brandy and liqueurs. Among them, the Muscat raisin grappa was especially appreciated by experts, as it is distinguished by its unique bouquet.
High-quality gastronomic pairings for the drinks presented during the tasting program were provided by one of the best Ukrainian meat producers, Karapyshivski Kovbasy, a trademark of the company.
Igor Magalyas noted that all the presented drinks are in an affordable price segment, and their cost does not exceed the cost of modern vintage alcohol in Ukrainian supermarkets.
“These drinks were purchased by collectors in Europe at auctions or sales of private collections. They have a number of flavor and quality advantages over modern drinks,” he said.
Maxim Urakin, the event’s organizer, emphasized the importance of systemic support for Ukrainian winemaking.
“Long-standing Ukrainian-made beverages have traditionally been at the top of our experts’ preferences. However, without new systemic efforts by the government to support the industry, the situation will deteriorate. That’s why the Club of Experts analyzes the situation and provides its proposals in this regard,” emphasized Maxim Urakin.
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In another video on the YouTube channel of the Kiev analytical center “Club of Experts”, the anesthesiologist of the medical group Adonis, Mariana Bolyuk, spoke about the main types of medical assistance in Ukraine, and also analyzed the specifics of the first pre-medical aid, including the algorithms of basic life support.
“Medical assistance in Ukraine at the moment, according to current legislation, is divided into emergency, primary, secondary (specialized), tertiary (highly specialized), palliative, medical rehabilitation,” Mariana Bolyuk pointed out.
The doctor emphasized that first aid is the implementation of basic medical measures to save lives, reduce human suffering in an emergency, and prevent possible complications.
“We, medical professionals, provide this assistance professionally, but it is important to remember that the ambulance may not always arrive on time at the scene. Therefore, knowing how to provide first aid to the victim before the arrival of the rescue services may be crucial to save his life,” Bolyuk emphasized.
She also spoke about the algorithm of basic actions that should be adhered to when providing first aid:
In turn, the founder of the Club of Experts, Maxim Urakin, emphasized that according to the UN, the total number of dead and injured as a result of war among the civilian population has already reached 25,671 people, of which 9,287 people died.
“It should be noted that the real number of victims may be significantly higher, as many cases of death or injury have not yet been confirmed, and information from some areas where hostilities continue comes with a delay,” Maxim Urakin stressed.
In the expert’s opinion, journalists and media workers are among the main risk groups, as their professional activity is associated with the possibility of getting into an emergency.
“For this reason, in June, the ‘Club of Experts’ introduced an initiative to train media representatives in the basics of providing primary medical aid. And the first seminar-practical training has already taken place,” Urakin concluded.
Watch more in detail in the video on the YouTube channel “Club of Experts”:
You can subscribe to the Club of Experts channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@ExpertsClub
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On July 29-30, the V annual Cheese & Wine Festival will be held at the Forest Club Sherwood hotel and restaurant complex. The event is organized by Focus event, a company that creates emotions and various events to support people and the Armed Forces of Ukraine!
Cheese&Wine Festival is a combination of live music with a glass of real wine and craft cheese. The special guest at the event on July 29 is Pianoboy (Dmitry Shurov). The main goals of the festival are to raise funds for the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine; help businesses sell their products and find and attract customers for long-term cooperation; popularize the culture of Ukrainian winemaking and cheese making; develop a culture of wine consumption; and facilitate communication between producers, distributors and the hotel and restaurant business in Ukraine.
The festival will bring together top management of enterprises, owners and managers of agricultural enterprises, owners and managers of restaurants, pubs, hotel and restaurant complexes, wine and cheese producers, professional sommeliers, opinion leaders, and representatives of specialized associations.
The event will feature a lecture hall where wine experts will present important and relevant topics for Ukrainian winemaking. Speakers of the event:
Liudmyla Boiko, chief technologist of the family-owned company Khani Badger.
Natalia Blagopoluchna, President of the All-Ukrainian Association of Winemakers and Sommeliers, head of the first Ukrainian Sommelier School.
Eduard Gorodetsky, founder of Tiras Winery and MY Wine.
Mykola Blagopoluchnyi, CEO of Master Class, Director of the All-Ukrainian Association of Winemakers and Sommeliers.
Ihor Vishtak, Director of the Crop Production Department at the Ministry of Agriculture of Ukraine.
Volodymyr Pechko, head of the public association “Ukrsadvynprom”.
Iryna Kovaleva, Director of the V.E. Tairov Institute of Viticulture and Winemaking of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine.
Maksym Urakin, founder of the analytical center “Club of Experts”, publisher, marketing director of the news agency “Interfax-Ukraine”.
Yegor Belov, chef sommelier at InterContinental Kyiv, winner of the All-Ukrainian Sommelier Competition 2019.
Natalia Burlachenko, sommelier and brand ambassador of Vinos de La Luz (France, Spain, USA, Argentina).
The festival will feature a pre-premiere screening of the film Wounded Land. This is a documentary about the stories of Ukrainian winemakers who suffered from Russian aggression. The film was successfully presented in Hollywood (USA).
The event program will also include a roundtable discussion “Development of Ukrainian winemaking in times of war. Current issues. Communication between the government and producers to solve them” with Igor Vishtak, Director of the Crop Production Department of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine, heads of specialized associations, owners and managers of wineries.
Cheese & Wine Festival has a charitable component. The military are sending various items from the frontline to be sold at a charity auction at the festival. The proceeds will be donated to the needs of the Armed Forces. Last year’s festival raised UAH 74,500, which was used to buy a car for snipers.
We invite everyone: from craft winemakers and cheese makers to large distributors and manufacturing plants, from experts, sommeliers, winemakers to connoisseurs of quality wine and cheese.
Join the V Cheese and Wine Festival 2023. It will be interesting and useful and, of course, very tasty!
Interfax-Ukraine, Club of Experts, www.open4businesscom.ua sind die Medienpartner.
Um Karten für das Festival zu kaufen: https://uman.karabas.com/ua/festival-cheese-wine
blagopoluchny, BOYKO, CLUB OF EXPERTS, gorodetsky, heesewine_festival, orest_club_sherwood, UKRSADVYNPROM, URAKIN, WINE, белов, БЛАГОПОЛУЧНА, Бурлаченко, ВИШТАК, Ковалева, ПЕЧКО, шуров
More and more entrepreneurs and organizations are turning to grant programs in the hope of obtaining financial support for their projects. However, many of them make typical mistakes even at the stage of submitting and implementing an application, which can lead to undesirable consequences. In this regard, Kyiv Analytical Center “Experts Club” together with the founder of “Granta” company and grant projects implementation expert Olga Shaverina, launched a series of YouTube videos, dedicated to the peculiarities of grant financing. In the first video Olga Shaverina shared her experience and told about the most common mistakes made by beginner grantees, as well as gave recommendations on how to avoid them.
The first mistake many people make is not trusting grantmaking tools. Some entrepreneurs do not realize the opportunities that grants provide and miss the chance to get funding for their projects. Lack of information about grant programs and lack of knowledge about procedures can cause missed opportunities.
The second mistake, according to the expert, has to do with not accepting the fact that business is part of society. Many entrepreneurs forget that grant programs are usually aimed at solving social problems or supporting certain social initiatives. Emphasizing the social importance of their project can help in attracting the attention of grantmakers.
The third mistake is neglecting procedures. This is a critical component of successful grantmaking, where proper paperwork and adherence to grant program requirements are critical to your success. Negligence in this matter can cause the application to be rejected.
“Reassign the preparation of the grant application to your secretary on the principle of “He/She can do it! ” because he/she knows how to do the paperwork is the most common mistake among applicants. Most projects fail exactly on this basis,” says Olga Shaverina.
The fourth mistake entrepreneurs often make is underestimating the cost of training. First of all it is a question of labor inputs, because preparation of the grant application demands time, efforts and resources. Some entrepreneurs underestimate the amount of work required to prepare a quality application. Developing a detailed budget, creating a project plan, and analyzing the market and competitors all require careful preparation and research. The lack of a detailed plan and an incomplete understanding of the necessary resources can lead to project failure.
Finally, a fifth mistake worth noting is misunderstanding partnerships and consultant selection. Working in partnership with other organizations or consultants can greatly improve the chances of a successful grant project. However, choosing partners incorrectly or not understanding their role and contribution to the project can lead to conflicts and ineffective work. The criteria for selecting partners and consultants must be clearly defined and meet the goals and needs of the project.
Ms. Shaverina also emphasized the importance of a proper understanding of reporting. Many entrepreneurs underestimate the importance of reporting and do not pay adequate attention to it. Failure to comply with reporting requirements may result in penalties or loss of funding. Therefore, it is necessary to carefully study the reporting requirements and provide all the necessary documents in a timely manner.
Maxim Urakin, founder of the Club of Experts, in turn, shared statistics on grant assistance to Ukraine for the years 2022-2023. Thus, he noted that in 2022 international aid to Ukraine amounted to more than $32 billion, including 18 billion in grant support.
“This year Ukraine has already received about $19 billion in assistance, of which $11 billion was received in January-March, of which $3.7 billion came in the form of grants. That is why grant assistance, including those for specific projects, is extremely important for our economy under current conditions,” said Maxim Uralkin.
So, grant programs are an important tool for business development and implementation of social initiatives. However, in order to receive grant support successfully, it is necessary to avoid common mistakes, which the experts told us about. Compliance with requirements and procedures, understanding the importance of the social aspect of the project, choosing the right partners and consultants, as well as consciously estimating costs and preparing for reporting are all factors that can increase the chances of success.
You can learn more about the mistakes you make when submitting a grant proposal by watching the video on the Club of Experts YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8F7qjrSoWac
Subscribe to the channel at:
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The Ukrainian wine market continues to actively develop and introduce new quality standards. This is evidenced by the recent return of Ukraine to the International Wine Organization and the holding of competitions, festivals and tasting events aimed at popularizing domestic brands. The highest quality of Ukrainian products was demonstrated during the second tasting seminar-presentation “Consumer tasting of the best craft wines of Ukraine-2023”, which was held at the Kyiv Analytical Center “Experts Club” on June 23. This event was part of a broad initiative aimed at supporting and developing the wine industry in Ukraine.
The event was supported by the All-Ukrainian Association of Winemakers and Sommeliers, the House of Ukrainian Wine, and the Public Union “Ukrsadvynprom”. They act not only as organizers but also as active participants in the process of supporting and developing the domestic wine industry. Information support for the event was provided by the Open4business portal and the Interfax-Ukraine news agency. The special partners of the evening, TM Zakarpatski Kovbasy and TM Kozatski Kozyrni Cheese, provided gastronomic wine pairings that allowed to fully reveal the unique taste of each bottle presented.
In his speech, Maxim Urakin, the founder of the Experts Club, emphasized the importance of supporting domestic wine producers.
“Every bottle of wine made in Ukraine is not only a high quality and delicious product. It is also a contribution to the development of the Ukrainian economy, jobs and confidence in the future for our compatriots,” he emphasized.
In her turn, Natalia Blagopoluchna, President of the Ukrainian Association of Winemakers and Sommeliers, emphasized the unique organoleptic and flavor properties of Ukrainian craft wines.
“Our wines impress with their diversity, which is guaranteed by different local conditions and grape characteristics. They surprise, inspire, and encourage experimentation. Our wines are creativity and art. And we have every right to be proud of it,” said Blagopoluchna.
During the tasting, experts, guests and participants were able to evaluate the quality and taste of twelve best wines and spirits presented by domestic producers: TM 46 Parallel, TM Babchuk Winery, TM Driukivski Wines, TM Chateau Pinot, Georgiy Samsoniuk, TM My Wine by Eduard Gorodetsky, TM Kovach Wines, TM Vinorob Vinokur, TM KALYUS WINERY and Ivan Gorobets.
At the same time, the event has become an excellent platform for the exchange of experience, knowledge and ideas between producers, experts and wine lovers. Such interaction is the key to the success of the Ukrainian wine industry, which continues to actively develop and conquer new heights of quality.
The next seminars and tastings are already planned for the “Experts Club“.
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