Large-scale privatization to begin with the sale of Odesa Port Plant / Photo from UNIAN
Large-scale privatization in Ukraine will not begin until 2016, and it would be "extremely optimistic" to expect on it in 2015, Ukrainian Minister of Economic Development and Trade Aivaras Abromavicius said during the parliament’s hour of questions to the government on Friday.
"As for the privatization plan. The budget provides UAH 17 billion revenues from privatization. Based on the fact that the draft laws are being delayed, the adoption of which is necessary for the start of the privatization, the large-scale privatization is in fact postponed until next year. It would be "extremely optimistic" to expect it starts in 2015," Abromavicius said, adding that the the process will with the sale of Odesa Port-side Chemical Plant.
The minister recalled that a number of draft laws required for transparent privatization had been submitted to the Parliament. In particular, it is the draft law to abolish the mandatory sale of 5% or 10% shares of state-owned enterprises through exchanges.
Read alsoEconomy Ministry: ten potential buyers for Odesa port plant"We also look forward to the support of the draft laws on the privatization of Ukrspirt, public stevedoring companies and transport enterprises," he said.
As UNIAN reported earlier, sale of Odesa Port Plant was previously scheduled for November-December this year, but was postponed to January-February 2016 due to some objective reasons, according to Chairman of Ukraine's State Property Fund Ihor Bilous. He emphasized that a main reason for postponing the auction was the adoption by the parliament of the law abolishing a compulsory sale of 5% stake in the enterprise, as well as the execution of all procedures for holding the auction and searching for a privatization adviser.