Ukraine's participation in Expo 2015 under threat due to problems with financing
Kyiv, September 3 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Ukraine's participation in the Expo 2015 international exhibition is under threat due to problems with financing, Secretary General of the International Trade Club in Ukraine Valeriy Baliasny said at a press conference at Interfax-Ukraine.
"It requires EUR 4 million for construction and functioning of the national stand, according to the assessments of the Economic Development and Trade Ministry," he said.
He said that Ukraine's participation could be ensured only with the help of attracting corporate sector, in particular, large agricultural holdings.
"One should not expect that the funds will be allocated from the national budget. All money from the special fund went to the ATO [counterterrorist operation]," Chairman of the Council of Entrepreneurs at the Cabinet of Ministers and President of Ukrainian Agrarian Federation Leonid Kozachenko said.
Baliasny said that by late September Ukraine is to sign the agreement with Italy to confirm the country's participation in the international exhibition.
There is an option of participating not only via the construction of the national stand, but participation in the common stand, and it will cost cheaper.
Director of Ukraine's National pavilion at Expo 2010 and Director of the International Cooperation Department at the European Economic Chamber of Trade, Commerce and Industry in Ukraine Ivan Buntov said that there are three ways of settling the problem.
The first one is to ask Italy to give a discount for Ukraine, the second one is to allocate the money from the national budget, but in the current conditions it is impossible to do. The third way is to ensure the participation of private companies in the national stand with the condition of financing of its construction.
Buntov said that at a meeting with Ukrainian Prime Minister Yarseniy Yatseniuk and heads of large agricultural holdings, he proposed that Nibulon, Mriya, Ukrlandfarming, Myronivsky Hliboproduct and other companies take part in the exhibition.
Expo 2015 will be held in Milan from May 1 to October 31. A total of 144 countries will take part in it.