The Kyiv Post asked a few council members, or their representatives in Ukraine, for their top tip to improve the investment climate in Ukraine.
President Viktor Yanukovych has appointed a new investors’ council of 28 businessmen and top managers, including the country’s richest man, billionaire Rinat Akhmetov, Lukoil president Vagit Alikperov, Ernst & Young managing partner Karl Johansson, billionaire Lakshmi Mittal and Microsoft chief executive officer Steve Ballmer.
Dmitry Shymkiv,
general manager at Microsoft Ukraine:
“All international investors are looking towards the government to introduce much-needed reforms while preserving overall stability and achieving economic growth. I expect that Ukraine will fix its perception as a country with a poor protection of intellectual property and will encourage international and local investors to allocate more resources in research and development in order to capitalize on our country’s enormous intellectual and academic potential.”
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Oleksandr Yaroslavsky,
owner of DCH Group
“It is simple. You have to work, work a lot. Not just talk about the investment climate.”
Jorge Zukoski,
President of the American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine:
“One overarching issue that impacts every single person in the country and all industry sectors is corruption and weak rule of law. The bottom line is that senior decision makers should define and implement a credible plan for addressing the ever-present issue of corruption and take concrete steps to strengthen the rule of law.”
Tomas Fiala,
chief executive officer of Dragon Capital:
“Reduction of corruption and introduction of the rule of law. Without improvement on this front most reforms will remain on paper. Their actual impact will be low.”
Rinat Starkov,
chief executive officer in Ukraine for ArcelorMittal, co-owned by Lakshmi Mittal:
“Full compliance with the current legislation and complete value-added tax refunds.”
