KIEV, March 29 – The State Railway Administration (Ukrzaliznytsia) is planning to complete in April all preparations for the launch of high-speed trains.

KIEV, March 28 – State commercial companies facing competition from the private sector should be allowed to use the practice of procurement for operations in the private sector, experts of the European Union and the World Bank have said.

KIEV, March 28 – Participants in the Automobile March of Protest motor rally in Kiev on Friday called for the carrying out of "people's reforms."

The Co-Chairperson of the Council of Entrepreneurs and head of the parliamentary committee for industrial and policies and entrepreneurship Natalia Korolevska said at the meeting that the motor rally was a second signal for the government.

KIEV, March 26 - Dutch multimedia holding United Media Holding (UMH), which owns media assets in both Ukraine and Russia, plans an initial public offering (IPO) for 2012 or 2013, UMH President Boris Lozhkin said during a presentation for analysts.

KIEV, March 24 – Ukraine may harvest from 45 million to 48 million metric tons of grain in the current year compared to 46 million tons in 2009, Agriculture Minister Mykola Prysiazhniuk predicted.

KIEV, March 26 – Kherson Shipyard has delivered the Siem Sapphire, the first ship of the series of four vessels that are being built at the shipyard for Norway's Kleven Prosjekt VI A.S.

According to the shipyard, the vessel will provide towing and supply services for drilling platforms.

KIEV, March 27 – Local governments in 2009 have faced difficulties in smoothly financing the expenses of local budgets, which affects the ability of Ukrainian cities to pay their debts, according to a Credit-Rating Agency report.

KIEV, March 27 – The Ukrainian government has agreed to a proposal from Kiev City State Administration on the registration of commitments on credits received from banks to cover short-term cash gaps of the general fund of the Kiev city budget worth UAH 1.2 billion in ordinary bills of exchange, which would mature in up to two years.

KIEV, March 29 - Raiffeisen Bank Aval, Ukraine??™s No. 2 bank by assets, plans to borrow $1 billion, mainly through syndicated loans, before the end of 2007, Viktoria Masna, head of the bank's financial institutions relations department, said Thursday.

KIEV, March 29 ??“ The stockholders of Eurocement Group Ukraine will consider appointing Demis Halchev the company's director general in place of Hennadiy Donets.