Partners news

Thursday, March 28

Ukraine’s government wants to reduce the country’s public debt to below 50% of GDP Ukraine’s government wants to reduce the country’s public debt to below 50% of GDP, writes Finance Minister Oksana Markarova. The debt was 61% of GDP at the end of last year.

Mark Rollins, the British CEO of Ukrnafta, the nation’s largest oil producer, is being let go after almost four years in the job. Mark Rollins, the British CEO of Ukrnafta, the nation’s largest oil producer, is being let go after almost four years in the job. By terminating Rollins on April 30, Naftogaz asserts control of a comp...

Topping EU aid to Ukraine, the EU is allocating €104 million to winterize apartment buildings to cut gas consumption. Topping EU aid to Ukraine, the EU is allocating €104 million to winterize apartment buildings to cut gas consumption. “This is the largest amount of existing programs being implemented by the European...

Gazprom’s $12 billion Russia-Germany gas pipeline will be completed on schedule, at the end this year Gazprom’s $12 billion Russia-Germany gas pipeline will be completed on schedule, at the end this year, the operators told reporters a foreign press tour Wednesday of the landing area, in Lubmin. As “h...

As the 1,225 km pipeline approaches Danish waters, Denmark’s official Energy Agency is requesting an environmental assessment of a third route, a process that “will take several months,” As the 1,225 km pipeline approaches Danish waters, Denmark’s official Energy Agency is requesting an environmental assessment of a third route, a process that “will take several months,” Agency spokes...

“Turning Muslims Away, Poland Welcomes Ukrainians: “Turning Muslims Away, Poland Welcomes Ukrainians: Warsaw opens door to a biggest recent wave of migration into the European Union,” The Wall Street Journal headlines about Ukrainians working in Polan...

“Poland seeks to protect its Ukrainian connection” “Poland seeks to protect its Ukrainian connection” headlines Euractiv Poland. Noting job vacancies increased by 12% every quarter in Poland, reporter Michał Strzałkowski worries: “Changes concerning f...

Migration of Ukrainians to work abroad is the top threat facing the nation Migration of Ukrainians to work abroad is the top threat facing the nation, said respondents to a poll conducted in January by Sociological Monitoring Center, Yaremenko Ukrainian Institute of Social R...

Remittances to Ukraine through 35 money transfer companies jumped by almost one-quarter last year, to $2.3 billion Remittances to Ukraine through 35 money transfer companies jumped by almost one-quarter last year, to $2.3 billion, reports the National Bank of Ukraine. While this is a 24% increase over 2017, it acc...

Latvia, Poland, and the Czech Republic are recruiting Ukrainian nurses to care for their fast aging populations. Latvia, Poland, and the Czech Republic are recruiting Ukrainian nurses to care for their fast aging populations. The Czech embassy in Kyiv is fast-tracking work permits for nurses. In Riga, Ilze Aizsi...

About 20,000 rail workers – about 5% of Ukrzaliznytsia’s 400,000-strong workforce – have left since 2016 to work in Central Europe, largely Poland About 20,000 rail workers – about 5% of Ukrzaliznytsia’s 400,000-strong workforce – have left since 2016 to work in Central Europe, largely Poland, Yevhen Kravtsov, the railroad’s chairman, complains ...

Ukrainian employers should raise salaries – or risk losing their businesses Ukrainian employers should raise salaries – or risk losing their businesses, says Pavel Rozenko, a vice prime minister who once served as labor minister. “Employers and company executives must underst...

Real wages will grow by 7% this year Real wages will grow by 7% this year, forecasts National Bank of Ukraine. Next year, annual wage growth will slow to 4% as labor migration slows and the Central Europe-Ukraine wage gap narrows predict...

Krakow joins Lodz, Poznan, Warsaw, and Wroclaw this year in programming bus and tram ticket machines to sell tickets in Ukrainian. Krakow joins Lodz, Poznan, Warsaw, and Wroclaw this year in programming bus and tram ticket machines to sell tickets in Ukrainian. Tomasz Kunert, the spokesman for Warsaw’s Public Transport Department...

Ukrainians accounted for 60% of the 77,200 foreigners not allowed into Poland last year Ukrainians accounted for 60% of the 77,200 foreigners not allowed into Poland last year, Polish Border Guard spokeswoman Agnieszka Golias tells Polskie Radio. At the land border with Ukraine, 46,700 U...

Ukraine should double its road border checkpoints with its four EU neighbors Ukraine should double its road border checkpoints with its four EU neighbors, Petro Tsyhykal, head of the State Border Guard Service, tells Channel 5 TV. “There only 18 — but we need almost twic...

Odesa joins Ukraine’s low-cost air revolution, starting flights to Italy, Germany, Poland, and Spain. Odesa joins Ukraine’s low-cost air revolution, starting flights to Italy, Germany, Poland, and Spain. On April 19, Ernest Airlines launches Odessa-Rome. On June 2, SkyUp starts Odesa-Rimini. SkyUp als...

Wednesday, March 27

Bershidsky writes of “the willingness of two of Ukraine’s most prominent reformers to stake their unusually clean reputations on a comedian Bershidsky writes of “the willingness of two of Ukraine’s most prominent reformers to stake their unusually clean reputations on a comedian who wants to cut taxes, deregulate business, introduce more ...

Reacting to the Bloomberg Opinion piece, Reacting to the Bloomberg Opinion piece, Timothy Ash, the senior sovereign analyst for Blue Bay Asset Management, writes: “Danylyuk and Abromavicius coming out for Zelenskiy could well be the game cha...

Dragon Capital writes: Dragon Capital writes: “Political newcomer Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s current rhetoric raises no major concerns, unlike his relationship with tycoon Igor Kolomoisky. Zelenskiy’s potential presidency poses ...

“Election or earthquake?” headlines an analysis in the Kyiv Post by Bohdan Nahaylo, the analyst of Ukrainian politics since the 1980s. “Election or earthquake?” headlines an analysis in the Kyiv Post by Bohdan Nahaylo, the analyst of Ukrainian politics since the 1980s. “For the first time since the former dissidents ran for president...

Ryanair, Europe’s largest airline, starts flying in June to Kharkiv and Odesa, Ryanair, Europe’s largest airline, starts flying in June to Kharkiv and Odesa, expanding from its current Ukraine destinations – Kyiv Boryspil and Lviv. The expansion is cautious, catering to Poland-b...

With these new flights and 11 new ones from Kyiv Boryspil, Ryanair will double its Ukraine routes this year to 32. With these new flights and 11 new ones from Kyiv Boryspil, Ryanair will double its Ukraine routes this year to 32. Speaking in Kharkiv on Tuesday, Mikhail Kachmazhik, executive director of Ryanair Sun...

With Germany’s Bundestag working on a law to allow temporary Ukrainian workers, Wizz Air is betting on Germany. With Germany’s Bundestag working on a law to allow temporary Ukrainian workers, Wizz Air is betting on Germany. On July 5, Kyiv launches flights from Kyiv Sikorsky to Leipzig, its 10th German destinat...

French discount airline Aigle Azur aims to attract 10% of the 160,000 passengers now flying between Paris and Kyiv French discount airline Aigle Azur aims to attract 10% of the 160,000 passengers now flying between Paris and Kyiv, Frantz Yvelin, the airline’s CEO, told reporters in Kyiv on Tuesday. With only UIA a...

In May, regular flights are to start between Mykolaiv and Kyiv, ending a six-year gap in service, In May, regular flights are to start between Mykolaiv and Kyiv, ending a six-year gap in service, Infrastructure Minister Volodymyr Omelyan said Tuesday in Mykolaiv. With the flight, Mykolaiv will com...

China’s COFCO plans to double its Black Sea grain purchases by 2022, China’s COFCO plans to double its Black Sea grain purchases by 2022, Jingtao Chi, chairman of the agricultural trading group, said Tuesday in Lausanne at the FT Commodities Global Summit. COFCO plans ...

Chicken exports jumped 43% in January-February y-o-y Chicken exports jumped 43% in January-February y-o-y, reports the Association of Food Industry Manufacturers. Of the 69,000 tons in sales, the biggest buyers were Saudi Arabia, the Netherlands, and Sl...

A four lane, 500 km divided highway connecting Mariupol, Berdyansk, Kherson, and Mykolaiv, would cut today’s eight hour truck drive to five hours in the early 2020s. A four lane, 500 km divided highway connecting Mariupol, Berdyansk, Kherson, and Mykolaiv, would cut today’s eight hour truck drive to five hours in the early 2020s. That vision of a modern east-west ...

Volodymyr Zelenskiy, the new face and the new leader in all opinion polls prior to Sunday’s presidential vote is getting mixed reviews from the business press. Volodymyr Zelenskiy, the new face and the new leader in all opinion polls prior to Sunday’s presidential vote is getting mixed reviews from the business press. In addition to citing his political inex...

“Unpredictable election makes Ukraine’s friends wary,” headlines a Reuters story “Unpredictable election makes Ukraine’s friends wary,” headlines a Reuters story out of Kyiv and Brussels. “Ukraine’s Western backers fear the country’s next president may prove unwilling or una...

“Ukraine’s Reformers Back a Comedian President” headlines a different view, a Bloomberg Opinion piece “Ukraine’s Reformers Back a Comedian President” headlines a different view, a Bloomberg Opinion piece by Leonid Bershidsky. Citing interviews with former Finance Minister Oleksandr Danilyuk and ...

Tuesday, March 26

About 1.2 million Ukrainians now work in Poland, About 1.2 million Ukrainians now work in Poland, according to Polish Central Bank figures cited in an Associated Press feature on Ukraine’s labor migration. Monthly “average wages are about three time...

Wizz Air wants to fly from EU cities to Chernivtsi, President Poroshenko said last weekend on a visit to the city, a growing tourist destination Wizz Air wants to fly from EU cities to Chernivtsi, President Poroshenko said last weekend on a visit to the city, a growing tourist destination. Last year, passenger service to Chernivtsi increased b...

To restore air service to Donetsk region after a five-year gap To restore air service to Donetsk region after a five-year gap, Infrastructure Minister Volodymyr Omelyan toured Kramatorsk airport Saturday. With a 2.5 km landing strip, the airport currently works a...

To promote cargo traffic through Ukraine’s Sea of Azov ports, Ukrzaliznytsia will offer a To promote cargo traffic through Ukraine’s Sea of Azov ports, Ukrzaliznytsia will offer a 20% discount on goods shipped by rail to Berdyansk and Mariupol. Due to Russian harassment of ships going to t...

Rail cargo rates go up 14% on April 1, Ukrzaliznytsia CEO Yevhen Kravtsov writes on Facebook. Rail cargo rates go up 14% on April 1, Ukrzaliznytsia CEO Yevhen Kravtsov writes on Facebook. The State Regulatory Service did not approve subsequent automatic hikes of 2.5%. Concorde Capital’s Alexan...

Russia’s Energy Ministry predicts a gas transit contract will be reached this year with Ukraine Russia’s Energy Ministry predicts a gas transit contract will be reached this year with Ukraine. “We expect that, to some extent, we will be able to reach an agreement with Ukraine on the transi...

Hungary can store all the gas it needs for next winter at five Hungary can store all the gas it needs for next winter at five Ukrtransgaz reservoirs located within 150 km of the Hungarian border, says Ukraine’s gas transmission system operator. Last fall, Ukraine...

American, Belgian, French, Irish, Lithuanian and Ukrainian companies are building a total of seven solar plants American, Belgian, French, Irish, Lithuanian and Ukrainian companies are building a total of seven solar plants in different districts of Zhytomyr region, reports Ihor Hundych, regional administration...

Canadian companies plan to break ground this spring on a major solar plant in government-controlled Luhansk. Canadian companies plan to break ground this spring on a major solar plant in government-controlled Luhansk. PV Solar news site has described the project as a 150 MW, US$180 million solar farm in Rubi...

New York’s VR Capital Group and ICU, the Kyiv investment house, plan to put online this year 225 MW of solar power stations, costing $180 million New York’s VR Capital Group and ICU, the Kyiv investment house, plan to put online this year 225 MW of solar power stations, costing $180 million, Richard Deitz, VR’s founding president, tells Interfa...

By holding online auctions for land leases, the government will force large agro businesses to pay “five times” more in rent By holding online auctions for land leases, the government will force large agro businesses to pay “five times” more in rent, President Poroshenko promised Monday. Appealing to rural voters prior to S...

Polish and Ukrainian officials discuss in Warsaw today the restoration of a 90-km rail route between Khyriv, Lviv and Zagórz, Poland. Polish and Ukrainian officials discuss in Warsaw today the restoration of a 90-km rail route between Khyriv, Lviv and Zagórz, Poland. A train connection between the two Carpathian foothill towns would...

Monday, March 25

Preparing for a possible shutoff of Russian gas through Ukraine next January Preparing for a possible shutoff of Russian gas through Ukraine next January, Hungary, and Gazprom concluded an agreement Friday to fill to capacity Hungary’s newly expanded 6.3 billion cubic meter st...

Almost all of Russia’s gas to Central Europe goes through Ukraine in three pipelines: Friendship, Brotherhood and Soyuz. Almost all of Russia’s gas to Central Europe goes through Ukraine in three pipelines: Friendship, Brotherhood and Soyuz. The alternative is a long, northern route: Belarus-Poland-Germany-Czech Republi...

Preparing to place Eurobonds later this year, Naftogaz is posting an international tender for auditing services Preparing to place Eurobonds later this year, Naftogaz is posting an international tender for auditing services. Last October, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the issuance of up to $1 billion in Naf...

Hungary traded more last year with Ukraine than with Russia Hungary traded more last year with Ukraine than with Russia, Hungary’s ambassador to Ukraine tells Focus magazine. “Ukraine is our greatest neighbor,” says Amb. István Iyardto. “Despite the cool relat...

The EU is prepared to help improve road and rail access to Mariupol The EU is prepared to help improve road and rail access to Mariupol, Infrastructure Minister Volodymyr Omelyan said Friday after meeting with EU Ambassador to Ukraine Hugues Mingarelli. With an eye to...

This year, the Infrastructure Ministry is spending This year, the Infrastructure Ministry is spending €4.5 million to double the last stretch of single track on the rail line and is spending $37 million to upgrade the road to Zaporizhia. With Russian ...