Ukrzaliznytsya To Remain Solely In State Hands?

Ukraine’s newly-appointed Transport Minister, Mykola Rudkovsky said yesterday that Ukraine’s monopoly in railway transportation will not be restructured into a corporation, and would remain in state hands. Earlier former Ukrzaliznytsaya (UZ) CEO Vasyl Hladkykh announced plans to turn UZ into a JSC, separate it from its daughter companies and in the long-term sell non-controlling stakes to private investors. This process was meant to allow UZ to sell non-core businesses, and direct the funds received from the sales towards the renovation of rolling stock. Olha Pankiv:  The future of UZ reforms will become clearer after the company’s new CEO is appointed. Last week the Cabinet issued a decree stripping the President of the right to appoint UZ’s CEO and giving it to the government. Hladkykh was fired the same day and replaced by now acting-CEO Vladimir Kozak from the Party of Regions.