Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers is finalizing a package of decisions whose adoption will allow the introduction of a system of electronic tenders to sell licenses for the use of mineral resources, primarily production of natural gas, and the relevant decisions are expected by the end of July, Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman has said.

The issues were considered at a government meeting chaired by the prime minister, the Cabinet's press service said on Saturday, July 21.

First documents are to be adopted by the end of July, and first tenders can be held early next year.

Groysman says that electronic trading is an element of transparency, and therefore of efficiency and effectiveness, especially when it comes to mining and subsoil use.

"This question was closed for a long time - there was no political will to open it for mining participants, and the country was dependent, we imported fuel. Now the task is to adopt all normative acts until the end of July to transparently issue licenses, and so that people could see what is on sale, where, who buys, how much will be produced, how much it will cost. (...) We will open up opportunities for the country's prompt energy independence," the prime minister said.