EMBASSY OF UKRAINE TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

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February 19, 1998
For immediate release
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Foreign investments in Ukraine in 1997 amounted to 759.2 million dollars, an increase of 42.9% over 1996. According to the State Committee of Ukraine for Statistics, direct investments from CIS countries and the Baltic states totaled 67.7 million dollars (a decrease of 40%); investments from other countries amounted to 691.5 million dollars (a 65.3% increase). Investments in assets constituted 378 million dollars (49.8%), while monetary investments amounted to 298.8 million dollars (39.4%). At the same time, some $ 124.9 million. worth of capital or 16.5% of the total sum of investments in Ukraine were taken out of the country by non-residents.

As of January 1, 1998, the total amount of direct foreign investments in Ukraine was 2 053.8 million dollars. The largest investments by non-residents were as follows:

USA - $ 381.2 million (18.6%)

Netherlands - $ 214 million (10.4%)

Germany - $ 184.7 million (9%)

Russia - $ 150.4 million (7.3%)

Great Britain - $ 149.9 million (7.3%)

Cyprus - $ 125.6 million (6.1%)

Liechtenstein - $ 123.4 million (6%)

The following sectors of Ukraine's economy resulted to be most attractive to foreign investors:

food industry - $ 422.1 million (20.6%)

domestic trade - $ 337.6 million (16.4%)

finance, credit, insurance and pensions sphere - $ 174.1 million (8.5%)

machine-building and metal-working industry - $ 168.7 million (8.2%)

chemical industry - $ 141.2 million (6.9%)

and construction - $ 90.6 million (4.4%)

The largest foreign investments were received by the following regions of Ukraine:

the City of Kiev - $ 614.3 million (2682 enterprises)

Kiev Oblast - $ 201.2 million (135)

Dnipropetrovsk Oblast - $ 157.5 million (341)

Cherkassy Oblast - $ 134.4 million (124)

Crimea - $ 133.4 million (123)

Odessa Oblast - $ 126.3 million (472)

Donetsk Oblast - $ 106.2 million (263)

At the same time, Ukraine in 1997 invested $ 49.8 million in other countries (2.5 times more than in 1996), in particular, in CIS countries and the Baltic states - $ 3.8 million (a 70% decrease), in other countries - $ 46 million (4.3 times more than in 1996).

As of January 1, 1998, the total sum of Ukrainian investments abroad amounted to $ 133.8 million, in particular, $ 50.6 million (37.8%) - in CIS and the Baltic states, and $ 83,2 million (62.2%) - in other countries (Russia - $ 44.8 million, Panama - $ 43 million, Vietnam - $ 22.8 million, Switzerland - $ 7.4 million). The largest investments were made by Ukrainian enterprises in the field of transport -$ 67 million (50%), health protection, social security, and sports associations - $ 26.4 million (19.7 %), construction - $ 11.8 million (8.8%), and engineering and metal working - $ 7.1 million (5.3%).

3,293 CANDIDATES TO PARLIAMENT REGISTERED IN UKRAINE

As of February 10, 1998, 3293 candidates to the Verkhovna Rada were registered by the Central Election Commission of Ukraine in the single-mandate electoral districts, including 1,963 candidacies from political parties and electoral blocks, and 1,330 self-initiated candidates. On average, 8 candidates will compete in a single-mandate district, though in some districts their number is nearing 20.

Political parties and electoral blocks nominated 66.7% of all candidates for elections. The largest number of candidates represent All-Ukrainian Association "Gromada" (7.4%), Communist Party of Ukraine (6,6%), People's Movement of Ukraine - Rukh (6.38%), National Front block of parties (5,36%), and the block of Social/Agrarian parties (5.2%).

The block of Social/Agrarian parties put forward their candidatures in 27 regions, "Gromada" and Rukh - in 26 regions, Communist Party and National Front - in 25 regions, "Labor Party and Liberal Party - Together!" block of parties - in 21 region, block of democratic parties "NEP" - in 20 regions, Green Party and Agrarian Party of Ukraine - in 17 regions, Christian-Democratic Party of Ukraine - in 15 regions, "Fewer Words" block of parties -in 3 regions, the Party of National-Economic Development of Ukraine, Moslem Party, All-Ukrainian Party of Women's Initiatives and the Party of Spiritual, Economic and Social Progress - in 2 regions.

The registration of candidates to the parliament in single-mandate electoral districts was completed on February 11, 1998, while the registration of party lists was closed on December 18, 1997.

In compliance with the Constitution of Ukraine, the parliamentary elections will be held on March 29, 1998. According to the Election Law adopted by the Verkhovna Rada on September 24, 1997, a new - "mixed" - system of voting was introduced in Ukraine. The law calls for the election of one-half of the 450-seat-one-chamber parliament by proportional, or party list voting, with the remaining seats continuing to be elected under majoritarian system. Under the proportional system, voters will be allowed to choose from lists of political parties or blocks of parties. Only parties receiving at least 4 percent of the vote will be represented in the Ukrainian parliament. They will obtain mandates in proportion to their respective percentages of the national vote.