The visit of an Estonian delegation to Ukraine finished on Friday is an important for commercial interests of Estonia, Andrus Ansip Estonian Prime Minister, who headed the delegation, has said.
He said that it is important to develop relations between the European Union and Ukraine.
Ansip told the BNS agency on April 12, 2013 that Estonian businessmen met Income and Tax Minister of Ukraine Oleksandr Klymenko, Ukrainian Prime Minister Mykola Azarov and Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, and the meetings were very important.
“The investment of Arricano Concern controlled by Estonian businessman Hillar Teder reaches $400 million in Ukraine, and he plans to invest $100 million a year within three years. Relations of the European Union and Ukraine are important from the point of view of the interests of Estonian businessmen. Support of the European Union by Ukrainians grew to 50% compared to recent 10%,” the Estonian premier said.
Ansip said that Ukraine has harmonized its laws with the EU requirements and increased transparency of business environment and the effectiveness of the tax service.
“I hope that at the Vilnius Eastern Partnership Summit it will be possible of signing the Association Agreement by Ukraine and the European Union. In this case, the business area for our businessmen will expand more,” he said.
Ansip said that at meetings in Ukraine the projects of more effective use of energy where Estonian know-how is used were discussed.
“Using joint efforts we’ve realized energy saving projects where Estonian know-how is used and which are financed by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development,” the premier said.
He said that problems of the dwelling stock in Estonia and Ukraine are similar, as houses built under Soviet standards are not energy saving standards.
Estonia and Ukraine have the common interests in the transit area, Ansip said. He reminded that Russia has built new ports in Ust-Luga and Primorsk and the capacity of the St.Petersburg’s port has been considerably expanded. He said that Estonian ports are waiting for goods from Ukraine – the goods can go to the European markets from there. In addition, transit could be developed backward in the larger volumes.
A businessman in the real estate sector Hillar Teder, Head of BLRT Grupp industrial concern Fjodor Berman, Board Chairman of Olympic Entertainment Group Armin Karu and Board Chairman of Viru Keemia Grupр Priit Rohumaa accompanied Ansip during the visit to Ukraine.
Estonia invests four times more into Ukraine than Ukraine in Estonia.
