Ukraine resumes large-scale privatisation

Ukraine

Large-scale privatisation in Ukraine took a hit as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and was temporarily suspended in March 2020 as a quarantine measure. On 4 February 2021, the draft law No. 4543, which unblocks the ability to hold large-scale privatisation auctions, passed the first reading in the Ukrainian parliament. If the draft law is ultimately adopted, large-scale privatisation auctions could start from the second quarter of 2021, according to Dmytro Sennychenko, the Head of the State Property Fund of Ukraine. In addition, Mr. Sennychenko has confirmed the Fund’s intention to sell the following companies already in April through June:

  • United Mining And Chemical Company, one of the world's biggest producers of titanium raw materials;
  • President-Hotel, a four-star 8,846 square metre hotel in Kyiv's central business district; and
  • First Kyiv Machine-Building Plant, a leader in the CIS and Eastern Europe in manufacturing large-tonnage equipment and a major processor of rubber, plastics and their wastes.

Other major privatisation objects expected to be put up for sale this year include the following:

  • Odesa Portside Plant, Odesa CHP, Dnipro CHP, Kryvyi Rih CHP, and Kherson CHP – in the third quarter of 2021; and
  • Kharkivoblenergo, Mykolayivoblenergo, Zaporizhiaoblenergo, Khmelnytskoblenergo, Mykolayiv CHP, and Ukragroleasing – in the fourth quarter of 2021.

In addition, the State Property Fund of Ukraine is currently developing new legislation designed to further improve the privatisation process in Ukraine. The draft law No. 4543, together with the new privatisation legislation being prepared, signifies the importance of successful privatisation for Ukraine and continued effort to boost investment in Ukraine.

CMS will continue to monitor privatisation news and will keep you updated on the developments.

For more information on this draft law, contact your local CMS advisor or local CMS experts: Tetyana Dovgan, Graham Conlon, Maria Orlyk.

Previous CMS updates on the privatisation in Ukraine can be found here.

Legislation: the Draft Law No. 4543 “On Amendments to Section V “Final and Transitional Provisions” of the Law of Ukraine “On Privatisation of State-Owned and Municipal Property” concerning the large-scale privatisation”.