Prague on April 15 hosted the first event of the Ukraine: Just Business forum, which was organized to help Ukraine present its business potential to the international business community.
According to the event organizers, the meeting with the Ukrainian delegation was attended by Czech businessmen - those already with experience of cooperation with Ukraine, and those only considering such possibility in the future.
The event was supported by the Ukrainian Embassy in the Czech Republic, as well as a local business association, the Ukrainian Business Club.
After the welcoming words of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine in the Czech Republic Boris Zaichuk, representatives of the business community of the Czech Republic David Prudek (Ukrainian Business Club) and Martin Durina (Chamber for Commercial Relations with CIS), as well as a representative of the Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine Gennadiy Boldir shared their visions for the development of economic relations between Ukraine and the Czech Republic.
Most of the issues discussed at the forum, according to the organizers, were focused on the pace of reforms and the actual results of reforming the country's economy, particularly in terms of competencies of tax and customs service officials.
The second panel discussion at the event was devoted to discussing the practical experience of doing business in Ukraine, an analysis of the current business opportunities and an assessment of investment risks.
Managing partner of Lavrynovych & Partners law firm Maxim Lavrynovych emphasized the importance of professional legal support for investment projects implemented in Ukraine. He also stressed that Ukraine needs and welcomes foreign investors.
As noted by Olena Derevianko, the vice-president of DCH (Development Construction Holding), an important condition for successful investment in Ukraine is a strategic approach - a far-sighted policy of the investor, as well as the ability to choose local partners and develop various efficient means for market entry.
Member of the Supervisory Board of Eurocar and CEO of Sezparkservice Volodymyr Panov, in turn, described operations of the Solomon industrial park (Transcarpathian region) - a high-tech engineering cluster attractive for investment.
The experts unanimously agreed that despite the crisis Ukraine is currently experiencing, conducting business in the country is possible.
Participants also said they appreciated the holding of such an event, and called the initiative a timely and useful measure to enhance the investment attractiveness of the Ukrainian economy. The meeting was also attended by former European Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighborhood Policy Stefan Fule. He said he hoped "the enthusiasm of organizers of such optimistic road-show would be shared by Ukrainian politicians."
As previously reported, the Ukraine: Just Business forum was held with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine. The initiators of the project were Lavrynovych & Partners law firm and the Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine. The next events scheduled by the business forum are to be held on April 27 (Warsaw) and May 14 (Budapest).