Ukrainian President Summarizes 21st Year of Country's Independence

KYIV, Ukraine, August 28, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

Addressing the nation during the celebration of the 21^st Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence of Ukraine, President Viktor Yanukovych singled out a number of positive developments over the past year. They include infrastructural adjustments, conducted to accommodate EURO 2012, further deregulation of the state economy, as well as advances in the ongoing medical reform.

European football championship 2012 became the first major sports event Ukraine hosted in the 21 years of its independence. EURO 2012 attracted nearly 400,000 tourists to Ukraine, estimated the experts of the Ukrainian Youth Tourist Association. The foreign guests were able to visit the renewed stadiums in Donetsk, Kharkiv, Kyiv, and Lviv, use upgraded airports, 3,455 kilometers of new or renewed roads, 1,700 kilometers of railroads, and 902 new vehicles of public transport across the country, as well as stay at 290 renovated and newly opened hotels.

In preparation for EURO 2012, Ukraine renovated airports in all host cities, increasing their channel capacity, improving the runway and infrastructure. In May 2012, Ukraine expanded its main air gateway - Boryspil airport, allowing it to service up to 15 million visitors per year.

Additionally, Ukrainian government reported on achievements in economy deregulation and reduction of administrative impact on business. Ukraine cut the total number of state taxes in half. Corporate income tax was reduced from 25 to 21 percent. In 2014, it will go down to 16 percent.

Moreover, starting January 2013, enterprises producing software are exempt from paying value added tax (currently - VAT is 20 percent) on software supply operations. Since January 2013, the corporate tax for IT companies will be reduced from 21 percent to five percent. Ukraine also offers tax incentives to green energy companies, including corporate tax exemption on sales for 10 years starting January 1, 2011.

Another important step for Ukraine is medical reform. It will introduce five-stage medical assistance in Ukraine, featuring first aid, followed by primary, secondary, and tertiary aid, as well as palliative care. At the moment the reform was introduced in four pilot regions. So far, the Ukrainian government opened 21 new and renewed hospitals. Furthermore, Ukraine launched six state of the art perinatal centers under the National Project "New Life".