Improving the investment climate and business environment in Ukraine was among the topics for discussion during a meeting between Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal and Business Ombudsman Roman Vashchuk on January 18.

The parties touched upon the implementation of the Law of Ukraine On State Support of Investment Projects with Significant Investments and other mechanisms for attracting capital to Ukraine.

"To date, the government office of UkraineInvest, which according to the law provides support for large investors, has received applications for potential projects with a budget of over USD 2 billion. This initiative operates, and we encourage investors to actively use it. There are also open privatization auctions and tenders for public-private partnership projects. All these, according to our forecasts, should increase annual investments in Ukraine to USD 15 billion starting in 2025," the Prime Minister said.

Moreover, Denys Shmyhal noted that Ukraine over the next few years aims to integrate into European markets by signing so-called visa-free with the EU in the industrial, customs, digital, transport and energy sectors. According to him, the introduction of European rules will give the Ukrainian economy additional billions of euros in revenues.

During the meeting, Roman Vashchuk presented to the Prime Minister the main objectives to be fulfilled by him as the Business Ombudsman.

"Our team of the Business Ombudsman Council reviews and resolves business complaints on a daily basis - from the smallest to the largest - and based on this experience we stand ready for systematic cooperation with the Prime Minister as an advisory body," said the Business Ombudsman.

Among other things, Denys Shmyhal and Roman Vashchuk raised the issue of joint measures to support the bill On the Business Ombudsman Institution. The document provides for the establishment of the Office of the Business Ombudsman, which will facilitate pre-trial protection of the rights and legitimate interests of entrepreneurs from unscrupulous behavior of public entities.