Ukraine implements European standards for airport operation

News / 18 October 2013 | 17:00

Changes and innovations in aviation sector are focused on establishing the adequate level of service for passengers, according to Oleksandr Grechko, Deputy Chairman of State Aviation Administration of Ukraine, who recently took part in a Ukrainian forum on transportation infrastructure, the Information-analytical Bulletin of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine informs.

The issue is quite relevant for today Ukraine, which has already significantly improved aviation infrastructure (mostly due to a long-term and thorough preparation for the Football Championship Euro 2012).

Over the past few years, Ukraine has built new and modern airport terminals in Kyiv, 

Donetsk, Lviv, and Kharkiv (construction of Odessa terminal is ongoing). Runways of major 

Ukrainian airports are equipped with modern air navigation devices and can land aircraft in any weather.

Experts say the volume of air travel in Ukraine is still much lower than that in other major airports of developed countries. Therefore, the main challenge for the sector is to provide the Ukrainian airports with conditions similar to those available in major airports of the world.

Aviation makes economic boundaries disappear. Airports in New York, Frankfurt, and local airports operate under the same transparent conditions and standards. Experts say they transport operators and passengers are familiar with them.

Work to integrate Ukraine in the EU Common Aviation Space, the regulatory framework in line with the EU standards, is ongoing. The next stage will include joining the international agreement «Open Skies». Ukraine must first establish and maintain transparent rules and policies of the sector.

Despite many efficient solutions implemented in the field of air safety, work at airports is just beginning. European norms and standards of interaction between airports, airlines, and passengers will be implemented, while ensuring documenting of procedures for working with air companies, pilots, engineers.

This will ensure a better service on aircrafts and maximize use of throughput at the airports.

ForUm

Agrarian Fund intends to pay off debts to agricultural producers before November 1

News / 18 October 2013 | 16:50

The Agrarian Fund of Ukraine intends to pay off debts worth 200 million UAH until November 1, agricultural policy and food minister Mykola Prysiazhniuk said during the All-Ukrainian Agrarian Forum.

According to him, 1.2 billion UAH have been already paid up. Now there is a debt worth 200 million UAH, which will be pay off before November 1.

According to the Agrarian Fund, 900 thousand tons of grain were delivered to certified grain storage facilities in fulfillment of forward stock exchange contracts for supply of grain to the state intervention fund.

In total, 170.6 million UAH were transferred to agricultural producers following the delivery of grain. With consideration of advance payments on the forward program, grain growers have already received 1.11 billion UAH of budget funds.

ForUm

Russia may open Russian-Ukrainian schools

News / 18 October 2013 | 16:40

Russia may open Russian-Ukrainian schools or new Ukrainian classes, education and science minister of the Russian Federation Dmitry Livanov told reporters after the opening ceremony of the Russian-Ukrainian humanitarian gymnasium, ForUm correspondent reports.

The minister stressed that there are already several schools with lessons of Ukrainian language in different regions of Russia.

“Certainly, we believe that we need to give our children more opportunities to expand their scope of knowledge, including learning of other languages,” he said.

At the same time, Livanov said that today there are no schools in Russia, where teaching is carried out simultaneously under the Russian and Ukrainian educational programs, as in the newly opened Russian-Ukrainian humanitarian gymnasium in Kyiv.

However, he said that after studying the experience of this gymnasium, such schools can be opened in Russia.

ForUm

Rada may approve treatment of prisoners abroad next week

News / 18 October 2013 | 16:30

Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Volodymyr Rybak expressed hope that during the next plenary week the Parliament will consider a draft law regarding the possibility of treatment of seriously ill prisoners outside of Ukraine, he said in an interview with Rada channel on Friday, the press service of the Verkhovna Rada reports.

“I think next week some version of the law for seriously ill prisoners will be submitted to deputies,” he said, adding that “the law should not allow convicted people to escape punishment, as the treatment is not a pardon.”

Rybak said that the law should not be written only for one person but for the whole category of ill prisoners.

The head of the Parliament believes that the search for compromise solutions should be held within the constitutional powers of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, taking into account the current political realities. “There are issues about sending of convicted Yulia Tymoshenko to Germany for treatment,” Rybak said, noting that “this issue is not simple because there is no legal basis for such decision of the President of Ukraine.”

The Parliament’s speaker also said that the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine of the seventh convocation has already adopted 15 laws required for signing of the Association Agreement with the EU. 

ForUm

Rada registers draft law on treatment of prisoners abroad

News / 18 October 2013 | 16:22

The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine has registered a draft law #3444 on amendments to the Criminal Executive and Criminal Procedural Codes of Ukraine concerning the legal regulation of treatment of prisoners abroad, the official website of the Parliament reports.

The bill was introduced by deputy from the Party of Regions faction Mykola Rudkovsky.

ForUm

Tabachnyk swears that school textbooks have no mistakes

News / 18 October 2013 | 16:11

There are no mistakes in school textbooks, education minister Dmytro Tabachnyk said during the opening ceremony of the Russian-Ukrainian humanitarian grammar school in Kyiv, ForUm correspondent reports.

“There are no mistakes in school textbooks. This is an outright lie,” he stressed.

Tabachnyk promised that the Education Ministry will deal once again with publishers, authors and competition commission and will verify each signal.

ForUm

Expert states investment climate improving in Ukraine

News / 18 October 2013 | 15:56

The Ukrainian government is making real steps to improve the investment climate in the country, co-founder, CEO, managing partner of the European Capital Management Vadym Brailovski said during round table “Investment image of Ukraine: is there a progress?”

In particular, he stressed the effectiveness of the anti-corruption legislation, including recent establishment of the anti-raider commission, headed by first vice Prime Minister Serhiy Arbuzov.

Among the positive points, he also highlighted the improvement of registration of physical persons and legal entities in Ukraine. In particular, the expert said, that the legal entity now can be registered for three days.

He also mentioned the adoption in the first reading of the bill on promotion of investment in the economy of Ukraine. The expert called the document a serious project, which allows investors to come to Ukraine and have certain preferences for the first five years of staying.

ForUm

Education Ministry not to change admission terms

News / 18 October 2013 | 15:40

No innovations will be introduced in the terms and conditions of admission campaign in 2014, education and science minister of Ukraine Dmytro Tabachnyk told journalists after opening of the Russian-Ukrainian humanitarian gymnasium, ForUm correspondent reports.

“There will be no innovations in terms and conditions. Time framework may only be specified,” he said.

The minister stressed that an innovation is expected only in research universities. “They will be able to determine which subjects should be passed for admission,” he said and recalled that there are 14 such universities in Ukraine. 

ForUm