OREANDA-NEWS. August 04, 2010. Any decision of the authorities, leading to illegal delays of grain exports, must immediately be cancelled. This was announced by the Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine Serhiy Tyhypko during a meeting where the cases of obstruction of grain exports by some government officials were discussed. The meeting led by the Vice Premier was attended by the representatives of the State customs service, Ukrainian Railway, State Enterprises and exporters of grain.

According to Serhiy Tigipko, grain yield this year is estimated at about 40 million tons. Given the remains about 6 million tons, Ukraine fully meets the internal needs of the state and can export 17 million tons of grain.

"There is no economic reason to prevent the export of grain" - Serhiy Tigipko is convinced. The Vice Prime Minister stressed that the latest unlawful decisions of Customs Service and the Ukrainian Railways actually resulted in blocking grain exports. "As a result of such unlawful acts manufacturers and exporters of agricultural products suffer losses, business and investment climate in a country goes down that adversely affect the international image of the State" - the official said.

Serhiy Tigipko drew attention to the fact that now the favourable conditions for the sale of Ukrainian grain are established. "Today preventing the export of grain, the officials deprive the farmers money they earned" - the Vice Prime Minister said.

Serhiy Tigipko informed the meeting that he would demand punishment for creating barriers that hinder business development. "Responsibility and authority must be mutual. If tax evasion is criminalized, the same responsibility should be applied to officials whose actions cause huge losses of business and the State" - the official said.

The corresponding letters of the Vice Prime Minister with an urgent request to stop the legal tyranny is already sent to public authorities (including the General Prosecutor of Ukraine). Serhiy Tigipko also urged business representatives, public professional business associations and industrial entities to notify the Council of Entrepreneurs under the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine about each facts of administrative intervention and restriction of business.