A draft State Program for the Development of the Internet in Ukraine has been worked out by the Derzhkomzviazku [State Communications and Informationization {we cannot really figure this one out either, but it seems to have something to do with computerization — Ed.} Committee] and submitted to the cabinet. However, Derzhkomzviazku Chairman Oleh Shevchuk is not sure when it will be enacted. Addressing a February 20 news conference at UNIAN, he said that the program was “undergoing the required procedures” in the cabinet and hopefully would be “approved in the immediate future.”
Mr. Shevchuk further announced, according to UNIAN, that the Internet development program is a rather voluminous document, numbering 100 pages, and that there are few analogous ones, at least in the CIS, but Russia and Belarus are “trying to work out” similar programs. Simultaneously he noted that his own attitude toward the program is “quite critical,” unless it receives adequate financing. The program was prepared under July 31, 2000 presidential decree No. 928/2000 On Measures to Develop the Component of the Internet Global Information Network and Secure Extensive Internet Access. Clause 2 of the edict reads that a “state program for the development of the Internet in Ukraine” was to be worked out not later than February 1, and that it should be “included” as a “component of the National Informatization Program.” According to Mr. Shevchuk, it was written “rather well,” but its markedly weak financing (UAH 5 million in 2000 and 8 million in 2001) resulted the creation of “paper aspects of informatization” while what is actually needed is “specific projects.”
Meanwhile, all hopes for state subsidies this year have been reduced practically to nil and next year’s financing of projects other than “top priority” ones appears highly problematic, although they might go through the motions of supporting the project, saying they are all for it, but sorry, no money.
However, should this project, being largely a private business, even if using hi-tech, be sustained by the taxpayer’s money? Oleh Shevchuk says that it is hard to attract private funds to the development of the electronic community at this stage, that “real financing comes from the state and World Bank tranches.” He underlines that “this country cannot form an electronic government or a government information subdivision with private money.” And so Ukraine “must make it a budget priority and finance the creation of an electronic government, electronic agencies, and an electronic society.”
As earlier reported by The Day, various estimates point to 320,000 to 370,000 active Internet users and some 300,000 casual visitors in Ukraine. According to Korrespondent.net, the most widespread information here relates to business entities (47%), followed by directories (16.6%), entertainment (14.8%), research, various institutions of learning (4.4%). 6% of the servers accommodate electronic media; 1.3% offer data relating to government agencies and other official bodies. There are 66% male users in Ukraine, 61% are employed, and 32% are students, reports Interfax Ukraine, adding that TNS-Socis Gallup Int. Ukraine’s poll shows that 75% of the users in Ukraine’s seven largest cities are under 30, 34% are aged between 19 and 15, and 21% are 11-18 years old. 58% report an average family income, 34% below average or low- income, and only 7% are above the average income.
Some 32,000 hosts operated in Ukraine in the fall of 2000, with about 11,000 domains in .UA zone. Kyiv, Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv, and Odesa oblasts are the most advanced in terms of Internet services, while Khmelnytsky and Volyn oblasts are the least.
Informally, the Ukrainian segment of the Internet started to develop in late 1990. Officially, the .UA domain was registered in December 1992. The Internet’s average annual world growth rate is 50-55%, and its Ukrainian segment shows about 40%.
