Statement by Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal at the Government session

Distinguished colleagues! Fellow citizens of Ukraine!

Ukraine's advancement towards the European Union is about more than just ambitions, it is about concrete results. We continue to successfully integrate into the EU by sectors. Right now, we are taking an important step towards uniting our energy systems.

After modernisation, the interstate power transmission line between Ukraine and Poland has been put into operation. Ukrenergo specialists and their Polish colleagues from PSE quickly completed all the work. The European partners provided about a thousand pieces of equipment. The line has been in operation since 27 April. It had successfully passed the three-day test period.

The additional powerful interconnector increases our export and import capabilities. By selling electricity, we will accumulate resources to restore the power sector for the new heating season. And if necessary, we will step up imports and receive emergency assistance from our neighbours. Ukrainians will have electricity despite enemy missile and drone attacks.

Ukraine is also getting closer to the EU in terms of logistics. At 16 checkpoints in the western direction, we are launching the eCherha (eQueue) electronic system. Since the end of last year, it has proven successful at two checkpoints. Now eCherha will be available to all freight transport drivers crossing the border.

After registering through the app, the user receives a notification about his or her status in the queue, progress in the queue, and the time of arrival at the checkpoint.

Benefits of eCherha for Ukrainians are a simple algorithm of actions, minimum effort on the part of the user, and huge time savings.

Benefits for businesses: reduction of losses due to downtime, optimisation of business processes, transparency and the same rules for everyone.

Benefits for the state: streamlining shipping, eliminating physical queues, analysing traffic flows.

eCherha will become a universal system for all types of transport. Starting next week, truck drivers will be able to use it, bus drivers will be able to use it in July, while car owners will be allowed to use it in August.

Our goal is to make border crossing as fast and convenient as possible.

Today we are also making another significant decision on digitalisation. We are improving the Unified Digital Management System for the Reconstruction Process. This pilot project has three goals. The first is to speed up the reconstruction process and make it more inclusive. The second is to ensure transparency of processes and increase the trust of citizens and foreign partners. The third is to attract resources for recovery more effectively. We are currently extending the project's scope not only to infrastructure but also to construction and real estate. The Ministry for Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development will coordinate the project.

We are streamlining registration procedures. Today, the Government is to approve a resolution that upgrades and automates the functionality of the State Register of Rights. State registrars and entrepreneurs will be exempted from paying for extracts from the State Register of Encumbrances on Movable Property. The principle of a "single window" will be implemented to obtain the right to building and state registration of ownership of the constructed object. All these will contribute to the speedy recovery of Ukraine.

We also pursue a consistent course of comprehensive business support. Today, we are creating another industrial park, Dolyna Stryi, in the Lviv region. We expect to create about 700 jobs and develop processing in the region. In particular, in the food industry, woodworking, and mechanical engineering.

We continue the policy of corporatization of state-owned enterprises. In pursuance of the law adopted by the Verkhovna Rada, the Government is reforming Energoatom into a joint-stock company. Energoatom is one of the largest nuclear power plant operators in Europe, a company strategically important for the energy security of the State. We embark on harmonising it with international corporate governance standards. At the same time, we retain 100% of the company's shares in state ownership. With today’s Government decision we are to launch the corporatisation of Energoatom. This will ultimately increase the efficiency of management, attract additional funds for the implementation of new projects, and strengthen our energy independence.

We are working for the sake of Ukraine and our common victory.

Thank you for your attention!

Glory to Ukraine!