KIEV, April 1 – The state's debt to steel companies for reimbursed VAT on exported products now comes to over UAH 5.5 billion, and that to chemical companies has reached UAH 1.2 billion, Industry Minister Dmytro Kolesnykov hsaid at a meeting in the ministry.

"Almost every sector has companies that are owed state debts for VAT reimbursement," said Kolesnykov.

The minister said that the issue would be tackled in various ways.