Inside News on Odessa and Ukraine
On Friday 3rd May, whilst I was enjoying my time off in the Odessa sunshine and taking in the beach life, Ukrainian Energy Minister Eduard Stavytsky had a meeting with the EU Energy Commissioner Gunther Oettinger (as well as Royal Dutch Shell and Exxon Mobil amongst others) in Brussels. What became immediately apparent, if it [...]
As it is my umteenth anniversary today, and thus via the “ball and chain” and the goodwill of Ukraine, I have permanent residency here, this entry really does not affect me in any way. In fact it doesn’t affect anybody I know either. It will undoubtedly affect some readers however – both currently and in [...]
There has been so much written on gender equality over the years I am not going to attempt to write anything that would be meaningful, thoughtful or new. Suffice to say, Ukraine has just been ranked 64th globally when it comes to gender equality – drawing this response from Natalia Korolevska, the Ukrainian Minister for Social [...]
A few days ago I briefly wrote about regional development in Ukraine, concluding that “Accepting there is no perfect method – why do we expect a perfect outcome?” – A fair point I think. What I didn’t do, is state what I thought would be a reasonable model to pursue – naughty me! After all, [...]
The day after the EU met with Edward Stavysky, the current Ukrainian Energy Minister, a meeting that will bring about a high level round table over EU sponsorship over the upgrading of the Ukrainian gas transport system (GTS) amongst other things – I am left pondering many things. There has been a bad smell over the [...]
There were an awful lot of low profile but interesting things said at the Party of Regions Council meeting at which both President Yanukovych and Prime Minister Azarov were present on 21st March – some of which made it to the President’s website. So many in fact, I may return to the statements and comments [...]
For those who do not live in Ukraine, one of the inherited legacies of the USSR that still continues, is that of the Zhek and its responsibilities for maintenance of common areas in otherwise now privately owned apartment blocks. Quite simply put, whilst the last 20 years has seen a massive move to private ownership [...]
UKTVED 2701 12 10 00 – UKTVED 2701 12 90 00 – UKTVED 2701 19 00 00. What am I on about? No my computer is not making some form of public code error. No it is not some form of SEO optimisation effort. And no, whilst some will consider me a sandwich or two [...]
How many anti-corruption initiatives and laws do you need to realise that it is not the number of laws that matter, but that it is the effective, fair and equitable implementation of those that exist that gets results? It is political will to neither interfere in, and also provide, a suitable legal framework – together [...]
Well this should be an interesting week. Russia slaps Ukraine with a well timed $7 Billion bill for unused and unwanted gas within the contractual parameters of the awful deal crafted by Ms Tymoshenko, rumours are rife of a Ukrainian default on foreign debt this year (and let’s be honest, any debt payment rolled over [...]