Published in UNIAN

Vice Prime Minister for European and International Integration Hryhoriy Nemyria met with Chief Executive of New York Stock Exchange Mr. Duncan Niederauer, according to the government’s press-office.

At the beginning of the meeting the Vice Prime Minister emphasized that the Government’s course of carrying out market reforms remains unchangeable. “In this context one of top priority tasks of the Government is leading the privatization process to efficiently new and transparent level”.

Mr. Niederauer concentrated attention on the importance of holding transparent and open privatization process for attracting foreign investments. He hailed the Government’s initiatives on introduction of the transparency and accomplishment of prompt steps on creation of favorable climate for business in Ukraine.

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Published in NRCU

Vice Premier for European and International Integration Hryhoriy Nemyria told this journalists today.

Commenting on a statement made by President Viktor Yushchenko concerning the creation of free trade areas with the United States and Canada, he said that such documents could be signed only if they do not contradict to the agreement on a free trade area with the EU. "The same can be said of free trade areas with other countries," Nemyria noted. The Vice Premier also informed that the third round of talks with the European Union, including on a free trade agreement, would take place in Kyiv in July this year.

Published in UNIAN

On Wednesday Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine for European and International Integration Hryhoriy Nemyria participated in public EuroDebates organized by the European Business Association on the subject of “Half year of the Government of Democratic coalition: results and prospectives”, according to the government’s press-office.

During his speech Hryhoriy Nemyria stated that in its daily work the Ukrainian Government clearly adheres to the Action Program of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine “Ukrainian Breakthrough - for people, not for politicians". “Working in circumstances of constitutional imperfection, the Government remains practically the only island of stability in the country. Thus, the Government sittings are regularly held, Government Committees’ activity is resumed during which decisions are approved in consensus,” he stressed.


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Published in ForUm

Today Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine for European and International Integration Hryhoriy Nemyria met with Director for Poverty Reduction and Economic Management Department in Europe and Central Asia region of the World Bank Mr. Luca Barbone.

The Vice Prime Minister informed about measures of the Government on overcoming of inflation and lifting of grain export restrictions. World Bank Director for Ukraine, Moldova and Belarus Paul Bermingham who attended this meeting hailed these actions of the Government on behalf of the Bank. He also congratulated the Government on formal acquiring of Ukraine’s membership in the World Trade Organization.

Mr. Barbone emphasized the importance of cooperation between the Ukrainian Government and Bank concerning preparation of the Third Development Policy Loan for Ukraine. The Vice Prime Minister told that the Ukrainian Party is preparing for evaluation mission of the Bank, scheduled for June this year. Hryhoriy Nemyria noted: “Ukraine takes cooperation with the World Bank seriously. We implement measures connected with simplification of the licensing system in economical activity and ensuring of the efficient regulatory policy which are precondition for issuing the Bank’s Third Loan”.

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Published in ForUm

Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine for European and International Integration Hryhoriy Nemyria held a meeting with Vatican’s Secretary of State Tarcizio Bertone.

During the meeting topical issues on the Ukraine-Vatican relations have been discussed. In particular, the matter concerned deepening of cooperation in educational, scientific, historical and archival and informational spheres.

“Ukraine as a multinational and polyconfessional state is a unique example of the post-Soviet area where representatives of different ethnos, cultures and religions peacefully coexist,” the Vice Prime Minister noted.

In his turn the Secretary of State stressed that Vatican “very positively estimates the progress achieved by Ukraine in humanitarian sphere and in issues on strengthening democracy”.

The sides have also discussed Eurointegration aspirations of Ukraine. “We highly appreciate Vatican’s support of the European vocation of our state,” Hryhoriy Nemyria noted.

The Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine also thanked His Eminence for Vatican’s support of the Ukrainian stand concerning international recognition of the 1932-33 Famine (Holodomor) in Ukraine as an act of genocide against the Ukrainian people. Cabinet’s press service reports.

Published in Inform issue #72
See the full issue here.

The Ukrainian government has unilaterally terminated its Production Sharing Agreement with Vanco Energy, in a move that goes beyond its earlier decision to cancel the Texan oil company’s hydrocarbon exploration/extraction license. Yet the prosecutor general’s insistence that the license be restored has turned the commercial spat into a major bone of contention between the government and a combative President Viktor Yushchenko. As claim and counter-claim are bandied between the two-sides, what are the facts behind the government’s decision?

The Black Sea and the Sea of Azov around the Crimea are believed to be rich in oil and gas, with estimated resources of 635 million tonnes of crude oil and 1.67 billion cubic metres of natural gas. Ukraine is the only state bordering the Black Sea that is not tapping the natural resources in its deep-water shelf. Since the mid-1990s, a string of licenses were granted to companies to extract resources but the explorers met with little to no success.

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Published in the Financial

Prime Minister of Ukraine Yulia Tymoshenko held negotiations with President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, according to the government’s press-office.

The Ukrainian party for the meeting was represented by Vice Prime Minister for Eurointegration Hryhoriy Nemyria, Economics Minister Bohdan Danylyshyn, Energy and Fuel Minister Yuriy Prodan and Minister of Industrial Policy Volodymyr Novytskyi.

The meeting was held in a friendly atmosphere. The talks concerned issues of Ukraine -Azerbaijan cooperation in multiple directions: energy, humanitarian and other spheres. Azerbaijani President invited Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko to pay a visit to Baku. The parties agreed that by that time instruments in possible joint projects planned to be signed in the course of Yulia Tymoshenko’s visit to Azerbaijan would be prepared.

Published in UNIAN

Ukraine advocates deepening economic cooperation in the framework of CIS. Prime Minister of Ukraine Yulia Tymoshenko announced during presiding at an extended session of the Council of Heads of Governments of the Commonwealth of Independent States, according to the government’s press-office.

“In its foreign policy, in particular, in cooperation in the framework of the Commonwealth Ukraine advocates active developing of economic relations,” the Head of Ukrainian Government stressed.

Yulia Tymoshenko expressed hope that in the future the CIS Presidency Program which was introduced by Ukraine in its time would become programs of the Commonwealth on the whole.

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Published in ForUm

Yesterday Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine for European and International Integration Hryhoriy Nemyria met with Serbian Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration Bozidar Djelic. Cabinet's press service reports.

The meeting concerned pressing issues of relations between Ukraine and the Republic of Serbia. Notably, the parties have exchanged views concerning the most optimal model of coordination of European integration policy, Eurointegration processes of Serbia and Ukraine including in the context of future concluding a new intensified agreement between Ukraine and the EU and Agreement on association and stabilization between the Republic of Serbia and the EU, simplification of a regime of travelling for the citizens of Serbia and Ukraine to the EU etc.

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Published in Inform issue #71
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Ukraine’s parliamentary government is at odds with the president’s office over the sale of the Odessa Port Plant, a major Black Sea fertiliser plant earmarked for privatisation. Yesterday the government postponed its plans for a transparent auction of the plant scheduled for today.

The decision came after a decree issued last Friday by President Viktor Yushchenko, which banned the sale along with several other companies slated for privatisation, on the grounds of their strategic importance to the country. The decision was adopted at a meeting of the National Security Defence Council.

Heightening the confrontation further, the prosecutor general’s office has launched criminal procedures against Andriy Portnov, the acting head of the State Property Fund. Mr Portnov was accused of attempting to conduct a privatisation illegally.

Speaking last week Mr Portnov, who was appointed by the Cabinet of Ministers, said that three companies had registered for the auction: Yevrokhim from Russia, Nortima from Ukraine and Nitrofert from Estonia. The starting price for the plant is UAH 3 billion (about $600 million).

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Published in Interfax

The United States has congratulated Ukraine on its becoming a member of the World Trade Organization on May 16, "Ukraine's accession represents an important milestone in its economic transformation, and its participation in the WTO complements Ukraine's desire to integrate fully into the global marketplace through economic reform, liberalization and diversification. The United States looks forward to working with Ukraine as a WTO member," reads a press release posted on the official Web site of the U.S. State Department.

Ukraine became the 152nd member of the WTO on May 16.

Published in Inform issue #70
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Ukraine’s Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko congratulated Dmitry Medvedev on his inauguration as President of the Russian Federation. In a government telegram the premier expressed an assurance that Mr Medvedev would ensure succession of power and the irreversibility of the country’s course, supported by real achievements in serving the interests of the Russian people.

Ms Tymoshenko also sent a telegram to Vladimir Putin, Russia’s new Prime Minister. She said that she believed his appointment as Head of Government will promote the economic potential of Russia and improve the well-being of its citizens.

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Published in Inform issue #70
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Ukraine’s inflation rate rose 3.1 percent last month, and although this was lower than the 3.8 percent rise in March, it was nevertheless seized upon by the government’s critics.

During April the annual inflation rate breached the 30 percent barrier on the back of an almost 50 percent hike in food prices. Ukraine is not alone. Food commodities around the world have soared in recent months, causing civil unrest in a number of countries.

Addressing a government meeting, Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko acknowledged the seriousness of the issue and took a crumb of comfort from statistics revealing a slowdown in the trend.

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Published in UNIAN

Prime Minister of Ukraine Yulia Tymoshenko commissioned the relative ministries and departments to draft bills on establishing responsibility for owners of energy supplying systems as well as on providing consumers with gas–meters within a week.

According to the government’s press-office, Yulia Tymoshenko commissioned this initiative on Tuesday at a meeting with heads of local administrations and heads of gas supplying organizations.

According to Yulia Tymoshenko, owners who supply exclusively energy carriers should provide all consumers with gas-meters.

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Published in Inform issue #69
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President Viktor Yushchenko has taken the extraordinary decision to step up security at the State Property Fund (SPF). It comes in the wake of his long-running dispute with the government over the dismissal of the SPF head and his refusal to back the government’s privatisation plans.

The dispute arose on 6 February when the Cabinet of Ministers fired Valentyna Semeniuk, the Head of the SPF, charged with officiating the government’s privatisation programme. The sacked Ms Semeniuk, whose department has been dogged by allegations of corruption and cronyism, failed persistently to ratify the government’s plans, but was reinstated by a presidential decree a day later.

The government’s privatisation plan is laid out in the 2008 State Budget and aimed at generating budget receipts of $1.7 billion. Top of the list of companies to be sold is the Odessa Portside (chemical) Plant and UkrTelecom, the state’s fixed-line telephony company. Six regional energy companies are also slated for sale. Experts believe the privatisations will net considerably more than the conservative figure contained within the budget.

Ms Semeniuk objected to the privatisations on the grounds of their “monopolistic position.” Perplexed by this decision, Millennium Capital analyst, Bogdan Kochubey opined, “Odessa Portside Plant is not even the largest nitrogen fertilizer producer in the country, let alone a monopolist. The fact that the plant sits on the Togliatti-Odessa ammonia pipeline is not a reason to declare it a monopolist.”

The reason for Ms Semeniuk’s reluctance to press ahead with the government’s policies – and backing by the president – is seen widely as a ploy to deprive the government of funds for its popular bank deposits repayment programme.

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