President Volodymyr Zelenskiy announced the creation of a new communication mechanism with entrepreneurs – the “All-Ukrainian Economic Platform”, according to a statement posted on the presidential website.
The initiative is part of state measures aimed at de-escalating tensions with Ukraine's business sector, which reached a boiling point after the arrest of a prominent investor amid allegations of police overreach.
“Today we start building a new mechanism for communicating with entrepreneurs. Not only the most visible ones. And different regions of our state. And investors, and businesses that have relocated,” President Zelenskiy said in a speech on the evening of January 26.
He said the government and the Office of the President, local state governments and experts should organize the platform's efforts.
“The main purpose is for this to be a tool for effective communication. Therefore, the dialogue always focuses on operational solutions, i.e. what state institutions are doing, what they are changing, and It depends on creating a new history of normal relations, including between law enforcement and entrepreneurs,” Zelenskiy added.
According to the presidential website, President Zelenskiy also signed a decree establishing the Entrepreneur Support Council under martial law. The council will consist of seven entrepreneurs, including Netpeak co-founder Artem Borodatyuk and Monobank co-founder Oleh Horokhovskyi.
The announcement came after government officials and lawmakers met with business leaders on January 22 regarding pressure from law enforcement on entrepreneurs, amid the arrest of Ihor Mazepa and the raid on Concorde Capital. I was disappointed.
Relations between Ukrainian companies and police in crisis after Mazepa arrest
update.
On Saturday, January 27, Presidential Secretary Andriy Yermak met with all members of the newly created Entrepreneurial Support Council, Yermak reported on Telegram. The members who attended were:
- Ole Horochovsky (Monobank)
- Kostyantin Efimenko (Biopharmaceutical)
- Taras Kitsmey (soft serve)
- Viacheslav Klimov (Nova Poshta)
- Oleksandr Konotopsky (Ajax Systems)
- Artem Borodatiuk (Netpeak)
- Mr. Dmytro Olynyk (Chairman of the Kostpil Glass Factory, Federation of Employers of Ukraine).
Yermak said the participants discussed future actions and organization of work. Another topic was President Zelensky's initiative for an all-Ukrainian economic platform “Made in Ukraine” aimed at promoting dialogue between the government and small and medium-sized enterprises in the region.
Monobank co-founder and CEO Ole Horochovsky said the council's first meeting was constructive. “We discussed possible formats and organization of work, our vision and agreed on next steps. We look forward to concrete action and changes from the government. The establishment of an advisory council will be a step forward in this path. This is the first step,” he wrote.
