Today the Ukrainian economy operates in three dimensions: the economy of war, the economy of recovery and the economy of the future, the Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal has said during the Regional Economic Forum held in Kyiv.
“We all understand that the war against russia and the liberation of our territories is not a sprint, but a marathon. And we must be prepared for it, especially economically,” said Denys Shmyhal.
The Head of Government noted that over the past year Ukraine had put its economy on a “war footing”. The entire peacetime budget is allocated to the security and defence sector, to the purchase and production of everything necessary for the Armed Forces. In total, the state will spend almost UAH 2 trillion on security this year.
“The economy is recovering. We have five priorities: mine clearance, housing reconstruction, critical infrastructure, energy and the economy,” the Prime Minister said.
According to Denys Shmyhal, this year’s budget includes, for the first time, funds for the production of ammunition, equipment and drones; the development of industrial parks, support for legislation on “investment nannies”, grants for small and medium-sized businesses and humanitarian demining.
“In humanitarian demining, we are moving towards the creation of market mechanisms. We have discussed with the Minister of Economy ideas for financing. We are not financing the companies themselves, but farmers and communities who order humanitarian demining services through Prozorro. They will get the lowest price on the market, pay for the service, receive a certificate and the state will compensate them,” the Prime Minister said.
The Prime Minister also urged local government representatives to pay attention to the work of the regional commissions. This is because the Government will soon be introducing certificates for people who have lost their homes.
“The priority now is to restore the homes of those who have lost them. The restoration of housing should be accelerated by the creation of regional commissions,” said Denys Shmyhal.
According to the Prime Minister, the main focus in the restoration of the energy sector is the protection of facilities. Work is underway with Ukrenergo, the Agency for Restoration and Infrastructure Development, and the military. The Prime Minister noted that Ukraine was now stronger and better prepared for the winter than it was last year.
“We have restored critical infrastructure. We have created the necessary architecture for reconstruction. Work in this direction will continue. The construction of fortifications in the regions where there is a need remains an important element,” the Prime Minister said.
Economic recovery, according to the Head of Government, includes continued support for small and medium-sized businesses through a number of programmes: from the Affordable Loans at 5-7-9 programme to non-refundable eRobota grants. (Government portal/Business World Magazine)
