OREANDA-NEWS. October 17, 2008. The Government has approved a number of top priority measures aimed at stabilization of situation in the mining-smelting and chemical complex of Ukraine. Prime Minister of Ukraine Yulia Tymoshenko told a press conference.

In particular, according to Yulia Tymoshenko a continuing commission has been established including key ministers and leaders of public authorities. It will study a situation of the metal production market and take necessary decisions.

The Ministry of Transport and Communications, Ministry of Finance have been commissioned to introduce a moratorium on freight service tariff increase for mining-smelting and chemical enterprises to the end of the current year and postpone their service payment of the Ukrainian railway.

Yulia Tymoshenko noted that Government had also envisaged that VAT for these enterprises would be compensated in full within 3 days from the moment the documents are submitted.

The Ministry of Industrial Policy, Ministry of Economics, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Fuel and Energy beginning October 1 to the end of 2008 will establish a zero fee rate as target increase to the natural gas tariff.

The Prime Minister noted that in addition the Government had made recommendations to the National Electricity Regulatory Commission of Ukraine and Ministry of Fuel and Energy to introduce beginning November 1 2008 a moratorium on electric power tariff increase for the mining-smelting and chemical enterprises. The list of such enterprises will be endorsed by the Cabinet of Ministers.

The Ministry of Coal Industry and Ministry of Economics are commissioned to the end of 2008 to introduce a moratorium on price increase for coking coal. Price parameters for this coal can’t exceed the imported coal prices.  The Antimonopoly Committee, Ministry of Economics and Ministry of Industrial Policy are commissioned to continue constant monitoring of pricing and current prices for metal production and chemical production at home and world markets.

“All these decisions give an opportunity to stabilize a production price of the mining-smelting and chemical complex and enable them with more competitive prices to enter the world markets and resume work of the metallurgical enterprises,” the PM stated.

Yulia Tymoshenko reminded that minimization of the world financial crisis consequences the Government had started a month ago. “Now we take the fourth decision giving chance to get public support for this important, export-directed mining-smelting and chemical complex of Ukraine,” Yulia Tymoshenko stressed.