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disbursed last year.
Berlin is preparing a €400mn ($428mn) security assistance package for Ukraine, largely focused on ammunition and winter equipment, German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said in an interview with Bild on September 18.
EBRD expects to invest over $3 billion into Ukraine over next 2 years. The European Bank of Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) expects to invest 1.5 billion euros ($1.6 billion) into Ukraine annually for the coming two years, Reuters reported on Sept. 18.
Almost 40 countries and partner organizations will allocate $250M for demining equipment. "This is a result of solidarity between the US, Japan, the EU, Croatia, Great Britain, the Scandinavian countries, the Baltic countries, and all others who help Ukraine to demine the land from Russian mine waste," said Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal. He noted that about 174,000 square kilometers remain potentially mined in Ukraine. "It will cost $37B to clear the land, which might take decades, but our goal is to accomplish this in coming years," Shmyhal emphasized. The Ukraine state budget for 2024 already includes ₴2B for demining. On October 11, at the International Conference of Donors on Humanitarian Demining in Croatia, Ukraine plans to mobilize additional resources. "Ukraine is not, and will not, be left alone with this problem. This is a major global project that will be of crucial importance for the security of our state and the safety of the whole world," the prime minister emphasized.
Ukraine has agreed to Hungary's demands to unblock €500M from the EU military fund, but Orban called the step insufficient. The National Agency on Corruption Prevention (NACP) has suspended the status of the Hungarian OTP Bank as an international sponsor of war, the agency reported. In addition, this status has also been suspended for five Greek shipping companies - Dynacom Tankers Management, Delta Tankers LTD, Thenamaris Ships Management Inc., Minerva Marine, and TMC Tankers LTD. The agency hoped that this decision will lead to Hungary relenting on its refusal to allow €500M in EU military aid for the Ukrainian people to be dispersed and exclude the possibility of Greece blocking future packages of EU sanctions. However, the complete removal of the companies from the war sponsor list will depend on fulfilling the NACP's conditions. However, Hungary has said that Ukraine's move on the OTP Bank does not significantly change the situation, and the country will not facilitate further EU funding to supply arms to Ukraine until OTP is permanently removed from the list.
6.1.4 Budget dynamics - privatisation
Funds raised from privatisation have reached a five-year record. Over nine months, the State Property Fund attracted ₴2.7B to the state budget from privatisation. This is the highest figure since 2018. So, in the previous five years, on average, privatisation brought ₴951M in the same period of time. Earnings for the first three quarters of 2023 exceed this figure by almost 200%. Since the beginning of the year, the State Property Fund has found new owners for 303 state assets. The Hermitage Hotel in Kyiv was the most expensive, which was sold for ₴311M. It is noted that more than 60% of this year's lots are administrative real estate, which entrepreneurs restore and use
55 UKRAINE Country Report October 2023 www.intellinews.com