Ukrainian govt ought to spark domestic demand for metals - Azarov
KYIV. Jan 11 (Interfax) - The government of Ukraine needs to work out steps to take in order to stimulate demand within the country for the products of Ukrainian metals companies, Prime Minister Mykola Azarov said at the beginning of a Wednesday government meeting.
Demand and prices for metal elsewhere in the world are shrinking, the prime minister said. "Ukrainian metallurgy again finds itself in tough, unfavorable conditions, and this trend cannot be ignored. That's why it is necessary to ensure substantial internal demand for the products of domestic metallurgy," he said.
Azarov also said Ukrainian-made metal framework products have to be used in building residential and industrial complexes. "I have talked a great deal with construction builders, railway builders, subway builders. We've agreed that 2011 was the last year when we had to bring in from abroad bridge sections, framing, and the like," he said.
The prime minister gave the Economic Development and Trade Ministry and ministries "under whose purview are projects requiring significant volumes of metal" the job of creating ways to prioritize the use in those projects of Ukrainian-made metal products.