Inevitably, unsurprisingly, and predictably - Odessa is to be the first Oblast to produce an effective, efficient, bribe/corruption free 1 Stop Shop for business administration - or at least that is the plan. The Minister of Justice of Ukraine Pavel Petrenko, Head of Odessa Regional State Administration Mikheil Saakashvili, Mayor of Odessa Gennady Trukhanov and […]
An Odessa - Lviv reformist umbilical chord?
June 28, 2015 by Leave a Comment
A very short entry today, but one to ponder as it goes against all the current media noise relating to Andrie Sadovyi/Samopomich and Viltali Klitschko and UDAR is the issue of seemingly blossoming ties between Odessa and Lviv. They are but currently small acorns form which it remains to be seen if mighty oaks will grow. […]
Inclusive or exclusive innovation (or is it invigoration) - Odessa/Ukraine
March 5, 2015 by 1 Comment
Now and again, this blog is asked to contribute to discussions, either directly or indirectly (arming others that are going into a debate/conference) with a thought or two. Such requests occur far more regularly at a local level, but occasionally at a national level too. After all, nobody has the monopoly on good ideas, and […]
Some US FDI - Odessa
March 2, 2015 by 1 Comment
Having not written about anything local for a while, it is perhaps time to write about something positive occurring for Ukraine, and in particular Odessa. For those who are not acquainted with Odessa, it is home to three large ports. Odessa, Yushni and Ilyichevsk. Ilyichevsk is approximately 50 square kilometers of port-side and container terminal […]
Questionable timing of a little bit of privatisation - Back to Odessa Port Side (& others)
December 7, 2014 by Leave a Comment
A couple of months ago, this entry appeared relating to the possible privatisation of Odessa Port Side, alleged and disputed debts to Dmitry Firtash’s RGK Trading of $1.39 billion, and the fact that gas was now being supplied by German energy company E.on. It went on to question the ability to privatise Odessa Port Side with […]
Odessa refinery shenanigans
November 25, 2014 by Leave a Comment
Following on from yesterday’s entry and the successfully prevented appointment of Petr Hlytsov as Chairman of Odessa Regional Administration - and the anti-reform, ex-Regionaire, Klyuyev puppet constituency of the elite within Odessa that backed him - some commentators are rather speculatively see that his opponent, Mikhail Shmushkovitch, falling tantalizingly close to, but not reaching the 67 […]
Odessa - Poland oil pipeline extension threatened?
May 31, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Could Azerbaijani inaction prevent the proposed 325 kilometer (Ukraine 125, Poland 270 kilometers respectively) Odessa-Brody-Plock oil pipeline extension? It seems quite likely!
A day with the “Beeb”
May 21, 2013 by Leave a Comment
A very short entry today as I have spent the day filming with the BBC talking drug and human trafficking, smuggling and counterfeit goods in Odessa - naturally I will eagerly await my BAFTA nomination! So having spent the day talking trafficking routes in and out of Odessa and more broadly Ukraine - and basically […]
Regional Development Funding - Ukraine
March 29, 2013 by 1 Comment
This entry was inspired by a UK MEP named Arlene McCarthy who represents the north-west of England in the European Parliament - although what she said has nothing to do with Ukraine - directly. Indirectly, her words undoubtedly fit Ukraine - as well as many other EU nations and nations that receive EU regional funds. […]
Odessa International Investment Forum 12 - 13 April 2013
March 21, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Some things are almost guaranteed to be anticlimactic. The Odessa International Investment Forum 2013 has every ingredient necessary to produce a complete lack of climax - similar to that of an 80 year old impotent male surrounded by lithe and lustrous young beauties who then discovers he has left his Viagra in his hotel room. […]