KYIV. June 24 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman has said that all legislative and regulation base should be approved by the end of 2016 and the Energy Efficiency Fund is launched from 2017.
The fund would help to send a part of subsidies to energy saving and increase investment in this sector and reduce subsidies in the future.
“Our task is to transform subsidies into investment in energy efficiency,” he said, opening the Ukrainian Energy Efficiency Forum on Thursday.
He recalled that from 2014 the government launched the mechanism of ‘warm’ credits via state-run banks. They allow citizens to receive partial (from 30% to 70%) compensation for the cost of construction materials and energy equipment in energy efficiency projects. He said that with around 300,000 Ukrainian citizens invested in these projects, investment reached some UAH 3 billion, and the 2016 national budget foresees UAH 700 million for this purpose and this could be not enough.
Groysman said that the specifics of the new tool that would be launched via the Energy Efficiency Fund, would be sending a part of subsidies to energy saving.
The prime minister said that the energy efficiency sector could create some 50,000 jobs and strengthen Ukraine’s energy independence.
The prime minister pointed out the importance of transparent work of the fund and curbing any corrupt influence in the energy sector. In this regard, he called on Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Regional Development, Construction Housing and Utilities of Ukraine Hennadiy Zubko to involve experts and civil society in the creation of the fund and its supervisory board.
The prime minister also expressed hope that in synergy with Ukrainian MPs it will be possible to work out the necessary legislation that could be approved by parliament no later than the third or fourth quarters of this year. It will enable the fund’s operation from 2017.
