Joint venture for satellite navigation planned
The Joint-Stock Financial Corporation Sistema in Kyiv and the Swiss company Leica Geosystems will cooperate in creating and operating satellite navigation systems, as well as in the development of future space objects’ approach and docking systems, reports the State Space Agency of Ukraine. According to the information provided by the agency, the partners have recently signed a memorandum of understanding that provides for the joint venture tasked with practical implementation of this project. The parties are planning, in particular, to create nationwide networks of ground reference stations (up to 100 of them) to provide precise coordinates (up to a centimeter) using signals of global satellite navigation systems. The agreement also provides for the distribution of Leica Geosystems products in Ukraine and the assembling of navigation equipment at Ukrainian enterprises, the State Space Agency notes. According to Sistema’s representatives, the joint venture is expected to be created within the next two months. The project cost is estimated to be up to five million dollars, with investments coming from the companies’ own reserves. As soon as the end of 2011, the first 20 ground reference stations are to be deployed in Ukraine. The complete network is to be deployed over the next 18 months.
Poland and Slovakia lower consular fees for Ukrainians
Poland and Slovakia have reduced and annulled, respectively, consular fees for Ukrainian citizens. This was reported by the Department of Information and Public Relations of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine. According to the official report of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland, from March 1, 2011, the Polish side will unilaterally reduce the rate of consular fees for issuing long-term national visas for the citizens of Ukraine: from 35 to 20 Euros. Moreover, on February 7 of the current year the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has adopted the resolution “On approval of the Agreement between the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and the Government of the Slovak Republic on the abolition of consular fees.” This agreement provides for a mutual abolition of consular fees for issuing long-term national visas for all categories of citizens of Ukraine and Slovakia. The agreement will come into force after the sides finish the relevant procedures.
Ukraine’s top tourist destinations are Bukovyna and the Crimea
Bukovyna is Ukraine’s second most visited region; the Autonomous Republic of Crimea took first place. Interestingly, last year regional tourism attracted 2.6 million hryvnias to the oblast’s budgets, up from 800,000 hryvnias a year earlier, Ukrinform reports. Dmytro Pavel, head of the tourism department at Chernivtsi Regional State Administration, announced these results at a press conference. According to him, Chernivtsi oblast has an approved program for tourism development in 2011-12. It’s main innovation is that the program is designed for two years instead of the traditional five. Pavel is convinced that this approach will enable a better realization of the actual goals in terms of the field’s development, as the longer-term version can become out of touch with the tendencies on the tourism market. According to information gleaned during a press tour, held for mass media representatives from eastern and central Ukraine in Dnipropetrovsk regoin, a documentary portraying the merits of the region will soon be made about Bukovyna.
