Over 22 bln hryvni raised for Ukraine recovery projects

MOSCOW. July 7 (Interfax) - Over 22 billion hryvni has been raised for implementing local and regional recovery programs in Ukraine, Ukrainian media have reported with reference to the Ministry for the Development of Communities, Territories, and Infrastructure (Restoration Ministry).

Territorial communities and regions will receive the first tranche in the amount of 6.6 billion hryvni from a special budget fund to implement 157 projects, 44% of them being projects for the renovation of apartment buildings, it said.

Another 3.6 billion hryvni is to be disbursed from the fund to the State Agency for Infrastructure Restoration and Development to implement 44 projects for the reconstruction of apartment buildings, critical infrastructure, and social facilities, it said.

About 4.5 billion hryvni from the remainder of a European Investment Bank (EIB) loan will be transferred as a state subvention for designing, constructing, and renovating public buildings, social facilities, cultural heritage sites, and housing and utilities infrastructure. Proposals on projects shall be accepted from regional military administrations until July 19, the ministry said.

The government is also expected to clear the allocation of 3 billion hryvni for implementing 71 projects under the EIB's financing program for Ukraine's recovery and reconstruction, the ministry said.

Another 109 territorial communities have received 5.3 billion hryvni from the state budget under the Ukraine Recovery Program. The projects have been selected under a procedure agreed upon with the EIB. Bids are also being processed to disburse another 4.1 billion hryvni.

"All recovery projects to be financed from the fund and the European Investment Bank's financing programs have been entered in the DREAM system, which will provide for accountability in their implementation," Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for the Development of Communities, Territories, and Infrastructure Alexander Kubrakov said.