Infrastructure Minister of Ukraine Andriy Pyvovarsky has ordered the State Aviation Service of Ukraine to form a panel of experts to finalize a new procedure for flight assignments, taking into account proposals of members of the industry, whilst observing Ukrainian and European laws, the ministry's press service reported last week.

According to the press release, the decision was made after a meeting with an initiative group of companies protesting against new procedures drawn up by the State Aviation Service of Ukraine.

"Our task is to take into account as much as possible the proposals of members of the industry, which are in line with Ukrainian national law and Ukraine's liabilities under the Ukraine-EU Association Agreement," reads the report.

As reported, the State Aviation Service of Ukraine has drawn up a new procedure for airline flight assignments, which has caused a stir in the aviation industry. According to the new regulations, the State Aviation Service of Ukraine has the sole right to award flight routes to airlines. In order to be eligible, airlines seeking to exploit international (scheduled or chartered) routes must be owned either by the Ukrainian government or by a Ukrainian citizen.