Ukraine: Tymoshenko reassures foreign investors

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Ukraine: Tymoshenko reassures foreign investors

Yulia Tymoshenko, Ukraine’s former prime minister, says her political coalition is committed to a programme of privatization and economic reform if a representative of her team assumes the top job in the country’s next government.

Tymoshenko, whose bloc came second in March’s general election, says that all aspects of Ukraine’s economy would be considered for privatization – except for the ministry of defence – in an attempt to reassure foreign investors that her image as a populist is misleading. 

 Yulia Tymoshenko, Ukraine’s former prime minister

 "Our government will try to open all doors to attract foreign investors into Ukraine. Without foreign investment Ukraine's future is bleak"
Yulia Tymoshenko

“Our government will try to open all doors to attract foreign investors into Ukraine,” she tells Euromoney. “Without foreign investment Ukraine’s future is bleak.” 

She adds: “Privatization in Ukraine should be continued of those assets that are in state ownership. These include UkrTelekom, coal mines and chemical enterprises.” 

She says that she will also cut the country’s bureaucracy in a bid to improve corporate governance. “My government abolished more than 5,000 regulatory acts that provided opportunities for bureaucrats to corrupt business. Since my resignation no act has been abolished yet another 5,000 need to be,” she says. “The return of our team to government will continue fundamental changes in Ukraine.” 

In her time as prime minister, between February and September 2005, one of Tymoshenko’s most controversial acts was to reprivatize metallurgical company Kryvorizhstal.

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