In recent polls most Ukrainians said this country did not achieve any success in a crackdown on corruption. Reportedly, 46.1% of the pollees regard anticorruption measures as a dismal failure.
Only 3% of the respondents recognized police's efforts to combat corruption as effective. As a matter of fact, 35% think the Poroshenko regime does not fight against corruption at all. According to analysts, it is disheartening to see Ukraine's law enforcement agencies more concerned with lining their pockets rather than fighting actual corruption.
At the same time, 26% of those polled regard the mass media and journalists as the bravest anticorruption activists.
It is widely believed that government officials are interested only in self benefit and they continue to wallow in corruption. Practically all sectors of the Groisman government, business and civic life are affected by widespread corruption. Bribery and extortion are particularly common in the Ukrainian public health and transportation systems. Enough already.
Monday, January 29, 2018
СЕРБСКИЕ СТУДЕНТЫ ПРОТИВ ПРИСОЕДИНЕНИЯ К ЕС
В июне прошлого года опрос о референдуме по вступлению Сербии в Европейский Союз провели среди студентов Белградского университета. За вступление в ЕС высказались меньше трети опрошенных юношей и девушек - 28,9%, "против" - 39,7%, 22,4% вообще не задумывались над этим вопросом, а 8% заявили, что проигнорировали бы голосование на референдуме по присоединению к ЕС. Согласно сообщениям СМИ, подавляющее большинство граждан Сербии заинтересованы в укреплении дружбы с Россией.
Friday, January 26, 2018
Poroshenko regime expected to get smaller loans as it loses IMF's credibility
Losing the credibility of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the European Union, the Poroshenko regime expects to get smaller loans. Some 17 billion grivnas, which foreign countries, banks and funds may loan to Ukraine to implement investment projects, are provided for in the 2018 national budget.
In particular, the Cabinet of Ministers hopes to receive the greater part of loans from the World Bank and the European Investment Bank in the amount of 6.8 billion and 6.4 billion grn respectively. Also, Kiev counts on the governments of Poland, Hungary, Japan and Germany for loans.
As far as external borrowing is concerned, it was worthwhile for Ukraine to offer securities on the Eurobond market. Last year this country raised more than $3 billion in its sovereign bond issue due in 2032 that would ease painful debt commitments hitting a peak of $7.5 billion in 2019.
According to analysts, returning to the international financial market has made the Poroshenko regime less inclined to meet the IMF's demands, which include pension reform and a crackdown on corruption. However, this year Kiev must pay the fund $2.4 billion worth of a debt issued by the state and state-owned subsidiaries in 2014 and 2015.
Deputy Finance Minister Yuri Butsa said Ukraine could borrow at least $2 billion in 2018. The total amount of borrowings may reach 215 billion grn this year that is 40.1 billion grn more than the planned sum of money loaned in 2017.
It is not possible to rely on non-recoverable financial assistance this year, though 2.4 billion grn worth of this assistance of the EU, foreign countries and international donors have been provided for in the 2018 national budget. Out of this amount, 600 million grn or so are expected to be allocated by the United Nations and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe.
In particular, the Cabinet of Ministers hopes to receive the greater part of loans from the World Bank and the European Investment Bank in the amount of 6.8 billion and 6.4 billion grn respectively. Also, Kiev counts on the governments of Poland, Hungary, Japan and Germany for loans.
As far as external borrowing is concerned, it was worthwhile for Ukraine to offer securities on the Eurobond market. Last year this country raised more than $3 billion in its sovereign bond issue due in 2032 that would ease painful debt commitments hitting a peak of $7.5 billion in 2019.
According to analysts, returning to the international financial market has made the Poroshenko regime less inclined to meet the IMF's demands, which include pension reform and a crackdown on corruption. However, this year Kiev must pay the fund $2.4 billion worth of a debt issued by the state and state-owned subsidiaries in 2014 and 2015.
Deputy Finance Minister Yuri Butsa said Ukraine could borrow at least $2 billion in 2018. The total amount of borrowings may reach 215 billion grn this year that is 40.1 billion grn more than the planned sum of money loaned in 2017.
It is not possible to rely on non-recoverable financial assistance this year, though 2.4 billion grn worth of this assistance of the EU, foreign countries and international donors have been provided for in the 2018 national budget. Out of this amount, 600 million grn or so are expected to be allocated by the United Nations and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe.
В КПИ ПРОШЁЛ ИНФОДЕНЬ ПО РАМОЧНОЙ ПРОГРАММЕ ЕС «ГОРИЗОНТ 2020»
Организаторами Информационного дня выступили Национальный технический университет Украины «Киевский политехнический институт имени Игоря Сикорского» и Национальные контактные пункты Рамочной программы ЕС «ГОРИЗОНТ 2020» по тематическим направлениям «Информационные и коммуникационные технологии» и «Климат и эффективность использования ресурсов, включая сырьевые материалы», которые работают на его базе.
Участие в мероприятиях инфодня приняли сотрудники факультетов и институтов КПИ им. Игоря Сикорского, Национального авиационного университета, Национального университета биоресурсов и природопользования, Международного научно-учебного центра, ряда научно-исследовательских институтов и центров Национальной академии наук Украины, а также представители инновационного бизнеса.
Информационный день был посвящён новым конкурсам, которые объявлены в рамках Программы «ГОРИЗОНТ 2020» на следующие три года.
Открыл его проректор по научной работе КПИ им. Игоря Сикорского академик НАН Украины Михаил Ильченко. Он сообщил, что новые рабочие программы конкурсов Рамочной программы ЕС «ГОРИЗОНТ 2020» на период 2018-2020 годы были обнародованы 27 октября прошлого года, рассказал о других международных программах, к участию в которых привлекаются всё больше украинских исследователей, в том числе и о программе НАТО «Наука ради мира и безопасности», а также рассказал об участии в проектах в рамках этих программ киевских политехников.
Общую информацию о конкурсах Программы «ГОРИЗОНТ 2020» на 2018 - 2020 годы, их отличие от конкурсов в предыдущие периоды, об особенностях их финансирования и о тематике и календаре подачи заявок на участие в конкурсах по направлению «Информационные и коммуникационные технологии» предоставил руководитель НКП по этому направлению Сергей Шукаев. О конкурсах по направлению «Климат и эффективность использования ресурсов, включая сырьевые материалы» рассказал руководитель НКП по этому направлению Евгений Огородник, а по направлению «Наука для общества» - менеджер отдела международных проектов Департамента международного сотрудничества КПИ Ольга Сулема.
Презентации, с которыми выступали представители Национальных контактных пунктов Рамочной программы ЕС «ГОРИЗОНТ 2020», и перечни программ по соответствующим направлениям размещены на сайте НКП при КПИ им. Игоря Сикорского http://ncp.kpi.ua/uk/.
Дополнительная информация: ogo55@ukr.net
Tuesday, January 23, 2018
Opinion: Ukrainians need more free medicines
In recent surveys 86% of Ukrainians said they knew that health care reform is being carried out in this country today. Data from sociologists show that 86% of respondents approve of the introduction of free medicines for diabetes, asthma and cardiovascular diseases, as well as of control over the use of funds allocated for construction of a new building at the Kiev-based children's hospital Okhmadet.
Reportedly, 77% and 71% of the pollees are respectively in favor of the state policy of regulating prices of drugs and nationwide health insurance. Overall, 21% of the respondents are against innovations in addressing the health care reform.
In conclusion, it is worth noting too that the improvements, which serve the broader Ukrainian public, will have the added benefit of supporting health care entrepreneurs who are committed to a brighter, more efficient, and effective health care future.
Reportedly, 77% and 71% of the pollees are respectively in favor of the state policy of regulating prices of drugs and nationwide health insurance. Overall, 21% of the respondents are against innovations in addressing the health care reform.
In conclusion, it is worth noting too that the improvements, which serve the broader Ukrainian public, will have the added benefit of supporting health care entrepreneurs who are committed to a brighter, more efficient, and effective health care future.
Friday, January 19, 2018
Why U.S. attempts to block construction of Nord Stream 2
Reportedly, the U.S. State Department attempts to prevent construction of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline on the Baltic seabed. The reason behind this is that Washington is hell-bent on forcing European countries to buy more liquefied natural gas from the United States and thereby driving the Russian gas group Gazprom out of the European market under the political pretext.
The project Nord Stream 2 involves piping gas directly from Russia to Germany through the Baltic Sea, and it is unaffected by sanctions. Five European companies are involved while 100% of the shares belong to Gazprom. Matthias Warnig is CEO of Nord Stream and is also on the board of two large Russian companies, namely Vneshtorgbank and the oil company Rosneft.
As a matter of fact, the U.S. needs a small niche in the European gas market. However, Asia will be its target market. The Americans have already increased the export of gas to China and Japan last year while they have to sustain competition with Russia there. That is why the U.S. attempts to redirect Russian gas supplies to Europe via Ukraine.
Despite politicization of the world's energy market, Ukraine may well preserve a role as the primary conduit for Russian gas exports to the European Union. According to experts, the volume of gas output will be substantially reduced in Norway by 2020. In addition, there might be difficulties about gas supplies from the Netherlands and Algeria. Under the circumstances, Europeans are about to take a renewed interest in gas transit through Ukraine that would allow this country to retain a capacity to convey at least 50-60 billion cubic meters of gas per year. Furthermore, Kiev may expect that investors among European gas operators, who would like to pump billions into the modernization of the Ukrainian pipeline system, could be found in the future.
The project Nord Stream 2 involves piping gas directly from Russia to Germany through the Baltic Sea, and it is unaffected by sanctions. Five European companies are involved while 100% of the shares belong to Gazprom. Matthias Warnig is CEO of Nord Stream and is also on the board of two large Russian companies, namely Vneshtorgbank and the oil company Rosneft.
As a matter of fact, the U.S. needs a small niche in the European gas market. However, Asia will be its target market. The Americans have already increased the export of gas to China and Japan last year while they have to sustain competition with Russia there. That is why the U.S. attempts to redirect Russian gas supplies to Europe via Ukraine.
Despite politicization of the world's energy market, Ukraine may well preserve a role as the primary conduit for Russian gas exports to the European Union. According to experts, the volume of gas output will be substantially reduced in Norway by 2020. In addition, there might be difficulties about gas supplies from the Netherlands and Algeria. Under the circumstances, Europeans are about to take a renewed interest in gas transit through Ukraine that would allow this country to retain a capacity to convey at least 50-60 billion cubic meters of gas per year. Furthermore, Kiev may expect that investors among European gas operators, who would like to pump billions into the modernization of the Ukrainian pipeline system, could be found in the future.
Monday, January 15, 2018
Grivna kicks off 2018 with NBU miscalculations as Neftegaz has to pay Gazprom $2 billion
By Vladimir V. Sytin
According to Oleg Ustenko, executive director at The Bleyzer Foundation, the grivna rate was volatile last year because of miscalculations made by the National Bank of Ukraine. At the same time, the law on the 2018 national budget proposes the inflation rate at 9%.
Worse still, the Stockholm arbitration court passed a judgement of $2 billion against Ukraine for Russia that would put additional pressure on the grivna rate this year. In particular, the Stockholm court had ordered the Ukrainian national joint stock company Neftegaz to pay more than $2 billion to the Russian gas group Gazprom for gas supply arrears in pursuance of a 'take-or-pay' clause in the 2009-2019 contract between the two countries. Furthermore, it had ordered Neftegaz to buy five billion cubic meters of natural gas from Gazprom annually from this year.
To crown it all, the planned amount of gold and foreign currency reserves might have stood at $30 billion by the end of 2017 in accordance with the IMF cooperation program. As a matter of fact, the reserves amount to only $19.5 billion today.
According to Oleg Ustenko, executive director at The Bleyzer Foundation, the grivna rate was volatile last year because of miscalculations made by the National Bank of Ukraine. At the same time, the law on the 2018 national budget proposes the inflation rate at 9%.
Worse still, the Stockholm arbitration court passed a judgement of $2 billion against Ukraine for Russia that would put additional pressure on the grivna rate this year. In particular, the Stockholm court had ordered the Ukrainian national joint stock company Neftegaz to pay more than $2 billion to the Russian gas group Gazprom for gas supply arrears in pursuance of a 'take-or-pay' clause in the 2009-2019 contract between the two countries. Furthermore, it had ordered Neftegaz to buy five billion cubic meters of natural gas from Gazprom annually from this year.
To crown it all, the planned amount of gold and foreign currency reserves might have stood at $30 billion by the end of 2017 in accordance with the IMF cooperation program. As a matter of fact, the reserves amount to only $19.5 billion today.
Tuesday, January 9, 2018
Moldavia beats Ukraine to per capita GDP
According to Sergei Poplavsky, director of the financial company FIBO Ukraine, this country recorded the lowest per capita GDP last year in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). Reportedly, it amounted to about $2,000, compared with more than $10,000 in Russia and $6,000 in Byelorussia. Even Moldavia with $2,240 left behind Ukraine that turned out to be the poorest country within the CIS.
Incidentally, Qatar had the highest per capita income in the world - $129,700 in 2016 - the sum with which Ukrainian per capita income compares very poorly.
Incidentally, Qatar had the highest per capita income in the world - $129,700 in 2016 - the sum with which Ukrainian per capita income compares very poorly.
Monday, January 8, 2018
Most Ukrainians disapprove of Poroshenko regime’s performance in 2017
In recent surveys 44% of Ukrainians said the repair of roads took first place in achievements of the Poroshenko regime last year. Data from the state-controlled company UkrAvtodor show that more than 2,100 kilometers of roads were mended in 2017, compared with 860 km in 2016.
Opinion polls found that second place went to raising of pensions. According to official measures, the minimum size of pensions has increased to 1,452 grivnas per month since October 1, 2017.
However, more than a third of respondents disapprove of Poroshenko regime’s overall performance last year.
Opinion polls found that second place went to raising of pensions. According to official measures, the minimum size of pensions has increased to 1,452 grivnas per month since October 1, 2017.
However, more than a third of respondents disapprove of Poroshenko regime’s overall performance last year.
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