OREANDA-NEWS. April 18, 2011. Ukraine’s coal industry will develop, and it has prospects, President Viktor Yanukovych said in an interview in Yenakiyeve.

"There is a concept today, a strategy to reform the coal industry," Viktor Yanukovych said, adding that priority attention in it is dedicated to social conditions of miners.

He noted that since March, miners’ wages have increased and that such increases are planned in the following years.

"We will be maintaining Ukraine's energy balance, regarding the coal production, at about 100 million tons annually," Viktor Yanukovych said, adding that coal is the only energy resource, which Ukraine has plenty of.

The President also informed on the planned construction of several new mines and reconstruction of those existing. Not a single mine will be closed, he said.

Finding effective investors is most important in this situation, Viktor Yanukovych said. He said that today, 90% of the investors are identified, the mines are distributed among them, and they work with miners.

The President said that production is growing at such coal mines, the growth being about 10%. Thus, production of coal in Ukraine will be growing, he said.

At the same time President Yanukovych stated that the mines of no interest for investors will remain in state ownership.