Yanukovych signs amendments to state procurement laws

Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych has signed amendments to the legislation on public procurement, according to a posting on the presidential Web site made on Thursday. The bill on amendments to some legislative acts on public procurement was adopted by the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament, with due regard to the president's proposals, on July 8, 2011.

According to the document, the procurement of goods and services designed specifically for any activities and official receptions with the participation of the president, parliament speaker and government members, as well as the transportation by air of all state official delegations, are still governed by the law on public procurement.

Earlier, the government proposed to withdraw this list of goods and services from the scope of the law, but this was not supported by the president.

In addition, the law simplifies the procurement procedure by companies, determines the grounds for the application of the one-bidder procurement procedure, and introduces a new model for the application of the one-bidder procurement procedure, in keeping with which there is no need to secure permit from an authorized state procurement agency.

As reported, this law was passed by parliament in May 2011, but was returned by the president with his remarks for finalization.