The alcohol industry in Ukraine is completely paralyzed
Workers in the Ukrainian alcohol industry do not receive salaries, and alcohol is imported from abroad.
This was stated at a meeting of the Verkhovna Rada by Ukrainian deputy Oleg Barna, who previously became notorious for grabbing Prime Minister Yatsenyuk’s texts on the parliamentary tribune, a PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
“As a result of ill-conceived and unprofessional actions of the Ministry of Finance, a situation arose when the state executive service of the Ministry of Justice, by order of the State Fiscal Service, seized the entire accounts and property of the state-owned enterprise Ukrspirt to collect penalties in the amount of 186 million. And please note that we are talking about violations that were revealed in 2012, 2013, when the clique of Yanukovych and Ivanyushchenko was in charge here. As a result, the alcohol industry is paralyzed, more than 5 thousand workers remain without work and wages. The conversion of factories to bioethanol and other types of fuel that can be exported abroad has been stopped,” the politician said.
He emphasized that this is happening on the eve of the grain harvest season, when farmers count on selling grain to distilleries. According to the deputy, Western Ukraine feels this most of all.”
Barna also claims that the Ministry of Finance is blocking bills submitted by deputies regarding the removal of excise taxes on technical types of alcohols, solvents, as well as alcohols that are used for perfumes and vinegar.
“These alcohols are now imported into Ukraine, more than a million tons, for a total amount that is pumped out of the Ukrainian budget, one billion three hundred million. Tell me, can we allow 21 distilleries to stand while we import from abroad, providing jobs and financing the foreign economy? I believe that attention needs to be paid to the improper activities of the Ministry of Finance. If we cannot flood foreign markets now, we need to do everything to save the domestic market,” the deputy said.
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