We urgently need to replace Russian customers with Ukrainian ones, PM says

The state budget provides UAH 25 billion for so-called state guarantees for investment projects, Ukrainian PM A. Yatsenyuk said at a meeting with industrialists, entrepreneurs and employers on Friday, April 4.

"We recognize that our businesses, located in the East, will lose Russian orders. We urgently need to replace Russian customers with Ukrainian ones at any price, "he said.

According to him, these funds can be directed in particular to the development of Ukrainian railway network (Ukrzaliznytsia), "where the localization level amounts almost 100 per cent."

The PM noted that he has already had a conversation about this issue with Minister for Infrastructure Maksym Burbak.

"This will launch the metallurgical complex, thus we will get added value within the country", A.Yatsenyuk emphasized.

The PM paid special attention to the automobile industry. "Frankly speaking, figures are not optimistic, but at the same time every decent country should have its automobile construction."

He stressed that by deciding on amendments to the legislation on the automobile industry we must "look at real figures – how many cars we are able to make this year, how to sell them and what loan program to offer to the public and for our companies.

Arseniy Yatsenyuk addressed to owner of JSC "Zaporozhye Automobile Building Plant" Tariel Vasadze who was present at the meeting: "You possess 12 thousand employees. This is the destiny of every man and the fate of the economy. We are ready to be your partners. We have not so many resources, but all that we own, we will engage."