Daily monitor

Ukraine’s Parliament has taken a decision to restrict TV advertising of drugs, medical equipment, methods of preventing medical problems, diagnostics, healing and rehabilitation, as well as all medical services.

According to data released by the State Statistics Committee of Ukraine, cement production fell by 18.6% to 957,000 metric tons in November 2008, compared with the production level achieved in November 2007. In the same period, slate production in Ukraine dropped by 15.4% to roughly 49 mln tiles. For the purposes of this calculation, slate includes corrugated plates, slate and other asbestos cement products.

The Provisional Administrator of Prominvestbank Volodymyr Krotiuk intends to suggest that the Cabinet of Ministers, the EBRD and the IFC become shareholders in Prominvestbank and take part in its financial recovery.

A new initiative whereby Ukrainian subscribers may be able to change from one telephone operator to another while still maintaining their same number and national roaming service thanks to the introduction of Ukraine’s parliament of draft law No. 3420 “On amending the Law of Ukraine “On Telecommunications” (to increase the list of services)” of 28.11.2008.

Ukrainian deputies extended the ban on bankruptcies in the energy sector until January 1, 2011. The Law on Amendments to the Law of Ukraine "On measures aimed at ensuring the stable functioning of the fuel and energy complex” was supported by 381 of 450 people's deputies in Parliament on Tuesday.

Leading telecommunications provider Ukrtelecom [UTEL UZ, U/R], which offers broadband internet services under the ‘Ogo’ brand, has confirmed its lead position on the internet service provider market in 9M08.

Myronivskiy Khliboprodukt [MHPC LN, U/R] is a vertically integrated holding consisting of 20 enterprises with a focus on poultry production, grain cultivation and sunflower oil trading.

Mriya [MAYA GR, N/R], a Ukrainian agricultural holding, released its plans to expand the holding’s land bank under lease by 35.7% to 190 thsd ha in 2009.

The Zaporizhya-based Motor Sich [MSICH UZ, BUY] company – the largest producer of aviation jets and gas-turbine units in the CIS – has announced it is expecting a decline in production in 2008 compared to the 2007 level due to the current economic downturn. This announcement was made by Anatoliy Malysh, the Chairman of the company’s Supervisory Board.

Ukraine’s real GDP fell 14.4% YoY in November after a 2.1% contraction in October. Therefore, the GDP YoY growth in January-November 2008 reached 3.6%, compared to the 5.8% growth seen in January-October 2008.