OREANDA-NEWS.   On February 4, a meeting was held of Yuriy Kolobov, Minister of Finance, and European Bank for Reconstruction and Development delegation in charge of EBRD President, Sir Suma Chakrabarti.

The event specifically involved Betsy Nelson, the Bank’ Vice President, Olivier Descamps, EBRD Managing Director for Turkey, Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia, Jonathan Charles, Communications Department Director, and Andrй Kььsvek, EBRD director for Ukraine.

The meeting reviewed the Bank’s 2012 performance in Ukraine and further collaboration prospects, and Ukraine’s macro economy and fiscal stance.

The Minister emphasized the primacy of EBRD cooperation saying that Ukraine is concerned to keep a fruitful contact with the Bank.

Speaking about strategies for this year, Yuriy Kolobov said that investment generation and investment climate improvement in Ukraine are important parts of the economy development, therefore it is of extreme importance to keep implementing structural reforms.

Yuriy Kolobov also said that the 2013 budget policy would be designed to improve the business climate, support various industries, attract investments and secure a steady growth.

EBRD officials said that, despite severe economic environment, the last year had been satisfactory with its permanent dialogue with Ukraine’s governmental and municipal authorities enabling the Bank to not only enter into a number of significant agreements but also facilitate new public sector projects in 2013.

In turn, President Suma Chakrabarti emphasized that Ukraine cooperation remains one of the Bank’s priorities for 2013, having reaffirmed that the Bank is prepared to be directly involved in making arrangements to further improve Ukraine’s business climate. The counterparts agreed to seek closer cooperation in the matters set out above.

For information.

As of January 2013, the EBRD portfolio in Ukraine includes over 320 projects totally funded by EUR 8.2 billion.

Throughout the EBRD cooperation (1993 to 2012), public sector of Ukraine’s economy totally made transactions of EUR 2.32 billion (as part of 24 projects) with EUR 1.1 billion of them utilized as of January 1, 2013.

At the moment, EBRD supports 7 public economy sector investment projects (plus one project pending entry into force).