BUSINESS IN BRIEF (01/10/99)

BUSINESS IN BRIEF

State Tourism Committee releases data

KYIV - According to the State Tourism Committee, about 2,500 firms have licenses to provide tourist services in Ukraine. As of December 15, 1998, a total of 3,524 licenses had been given out, but 243 have been annulled, 13 suspended and another 793 licenses deemed invalid. According to the committee, the largest number of tourist firms are located in Kyiv (674), Crimea (495). Odesa Oblast (192), Sevastopol (133), Dnipropetrovsk Oblast (132), Lviv Oblast (127) and Donetsk Oblast (121). The fewest licenses were allotted in Kirovohrad Oblast (14) and Sumy and Ternopil oblasts (15 each). (Eastern Economist)

Tax police achieved better results in 1998

KYIV - Tax police contributions to the state budget are almost double last year's and add up to 1 billion hrv, said tax militia head Viktor Zhvaliuk on December 22, 1998. The results have increased due to improved control over money and product flows, and in particular a more efficient program to track the shadow economy. (Eastern Economist)

Customs reports heavy holiday traffic

KYIV - During the celebration of Christmas according to the Gregorian calendar, more than 200,000 Ukrainians and foreigners crossed the state border. Of this number, the State Customs Service registered 100 violations of customs regulations. Two criminal cases have been filed over foreign currency contraband worth 214,000 hrv. During a Kyiv-Frankfurt flight, $58,000 (U.S.) was confiscated from a Chinese citizen caught trying to illegally smuggle these funds into Germany. British Airways reported that it carried more than half a million passengers during the period of December 21-25, 1998. The airline said there were 132 round-trip flights between Kyiv and London, and passengers on these flights drank 5,000 bottles of champagne, ate more than 3,000 servings of Christmas pudding, 60,000 donuts and 50,000 turkey dinners. Due to increased demand during the holidays, the company introduced additional flights to Belfast, the Caribbean and India. (Eastern Economist)

Confectioner produces Monika sweets

KHMELNYTSKYI - The Khmelnytskyi Confectionery Factory has begun production of a new brand of sweets called Monika, the newspaper Den (Day) reported on December 24, 1998. Named in honor of the Monica connected to the U.S. president, the sweets sell for 4 hrv per box. An Israeli firm has apparently already put in a large order for the sweets. (Eastern Economist)

Obolon introduces new brand for year 2000

KYIV - Kyiv's Obolon brewery has started producing a new brand of beer called 2000. 2000 beer will come in new taller European standard bottles, which previously have not been used in Ukraine. (Eastern Economist)

McDonald's opens seventh restaurant in Kyiv

KYIV - McDonald's opened its latest restaurant in Kyiv at Leninhradska Ploscha on December 26, 1998. All the materials and work force are Ukrainian. The chain now has seven restaurants the Ukrainian capital. The company plans to open 16 new restaurants in Ukraine in 1999. (Eastern Economist)

Two more McDonald's in Odesa

ODESA - McDonald's Ukraine Ltd. opened its second and third restaurants in Odesa on December 29, 1998. The company opened its first restaurant in Odesa on Dobrovolskyi Avenue in late October 1998. McDonald's Ukraine Ltd. has opened a total of 19 restaurants in Ukraine. (Eastern Economist)

Gas chief gunned down near his offices

KYIV - Oleh Garbuz, president of the Konstanza gas company, was murdered in an apparent contract killing near his offices on December 23, 1998. His company transfers gas from Turkey to Ukraine. (Eastern Economist)

Baby food shares bought by U.S. firm

KYIV - The U.S. firm F.D. Import & Export Corp. intends to purchase a share package of VAT Balta Children's Milk and Canned-Food Plant in the Odesa Oblast. According to the Anti-Monopoly Committee, the shares are being purchased with the objective of increasing the quality and competitiveness of the plant on both domestic and foreign markets. (Eastern Economist)

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