Last year was a crucial one for Ukraine. By the end of , it looked as though Ukraine had emerged victorious. Nevertheless, a number of significant economic issues remain unresolved as Ukraine moves into One year earlier, Ukraine had begun with politics dominating the national agenda and economic themes significantly less visible.
This reflected looming presidential and parliamentary elections. During , Ukraine suffered huge economic losses from the annexation of Crimea and war in the Donbas region, with the country deprived of up to 25 percent of its industrial assets. At the same time, the collapse in ties with Russia saw bilateral trade experience an almost fourfold decline between and By the end of , three years of economic growth had allowed Ukraine to reclaim around half of these losses in dollar terms.
The major issue facing the government, I would argue, was an enormous debt burden coupled with growing defense spending and a shrinking tax base. This raised the prospect of a possible default. Hryvnia-denominated government bonds gained new ground in and generated record international interest, helping pave the way for a series of National Bank interest rate cuts throughout the year.
This has created a strong macroeconomic negotiating platform for the Ukrainian government ahead of fresh talks with an IMF mission that is expected in Kyiv in the coming weeks. In recent years, the Ukrainian economy has benefited from an Association Agreement with the EU that has allowed the industrial sector to increasingly rely on exports to the EU. Last year, the strength of the hryvnia began to undermine these two crucial sectors of the Ukrainian economy.
Agricultural production remained flat in , while industrial production contracted seven percent in the fourth quarter. This study assess the prevalence of violence and discrimination against women politicians in Ukraine, as well as the attitude of women politicians towards the incidence of violence and discrimination against women politicians and how it influences them.
Search for:. Country Data. Key Results Established and fully functional parliamentary budget office within the structures of the Verkhovna Rada. Enhanced capacity for public accounts examination. A consolidated parliamentary information and research service. MPs informed by British parliamentary experience. Supporting Inclusive and Accountable Politics in Ukraine. Supporting public financial management and good governance in Ukraine. Laying the groundwork for future cooperation with Parliament.
Will the Ukrainian parliament and anti-corruption agency step up to the task of combating corruption? Violence Against Women in Politics Case Study: Ukraine This study assess the prevalence of violence and discrimination against women politicians in Ukraine, as well as the attitude of women politicians towards the incidence of violence and discrimination against women politicians and how it influences them.
Although the current business sentiment is certainly upbeat, I am getting signals that the mood could quickly turn sour. As we enter the New Year period, we are closely monitoring a number of key issues that risk sending dangerous signals to the international business community. All eyes are currently on the National Bank of Ukraine NBU and its ability to maintain its independence from external vested interests. Ongoing rent-a-crowd demonstrations convening outside the bank and, more distressingly, outside the homes of NBU management, are proof that the central bank is disrupting vested interests.
Once a year, at Thanksgiving, we ask our members who they would like to thank most for making Ukraine a better place to do business. The NBU is on the right track and should continue to be supported. The government now threatens to throw a spanner in the works and pull the plug on wind and solar renewable energy projects by introducing retrospective changes to existing legislation. Rule of law is still the top concern for business. Protecting property rights, especially intellectual property rights, remains a challenge.
Continued legal reform is much-needed to boost investor confidence. The manner in which laws are made is also an issue. We have already seen such examples with new legislation on excisable goods, including mind-boggling last-minute changes introduced targeting tobacco retailers. Such actions are disappointing and should be closely monitored. The government should think twice before introducing any short-term fiscal measures that may devastate the industry in the long run. The Eurasia Center regularly convenes with regional leaders and key global figures to galvanize international support for a free, prosperous, and peaceful future in Eurasia.
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