Ukraine, Kazakhstan agree on automobile transportation quotas for 2023

MOSCOW. Jan 26 (Interfax) - Ukraine will receive 4,000 blank forms of permits for universal and transit automobile transportation and another 800 forms of permits for transportation to or from third countries in 2023 from Kazakhstan, which is identical to the 2022 numbers, Ukrainian Deputy Minister for the Development of Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Mustafa Nayem said.

"At the start of the negotiations this year, 2,500 were proposed," Nayem said in an interview with Ukrainian media outlets.

The forms that were not used in 2022 will remain valid until February 1, 2023.

According to information available on the Ukrainian Infrastructure Ministry's website, a total of 4,530 unused forms have remained after 2022, including 1,810 universal and 2,330 transit ones plus 390 forms for transportation to or for third countries.

Ukrainian exports to Kazakhstan in 2022 amounted to $293.3 million and included primarily agricultural and food products, machinery, land, water, and air transport vehicles, and chemical industry products, Nayem said.

Ukraine's imports from Kazakhstan in 2022, which amounted to $510.3 million, included primarily mineral products (natural gas, mineral fuel, oil and oil products), agricultural and food products, nonprecious metals and articles from them.

Ukraine is continuing negotiations with all foreign partners to exchange work permits for Ukrainian transport operators and will initiate negotiations on extending the visa-free transportation agreement with the European Union, which is valid until the end of the summer of 2023, Nayem said.