During a working trip to the Odesa region, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with representatives of local business.
The meeting of the Head of State with entrepreneurs took place in the administrative building of PJSC "Odesa Port Plant".
"This is my first time at the Odesa Port Plant. I always wanted to see what it is. I see that the plant is in an excellent condition. I would like to believe that you will not stop here. The salary increased by 44%. The number of jobs increased. But I know that your potential is higher, because four and a half thousand people worked here once, and now - three thousand. That is, there is a great potential for the return of our specialists," Volodymyr Zelenskyy said at the beginning of the meeting, addressing the management of the OPP.
Director of PJSC "Odesa Port Plant" Mykola Synytsia noted that the President of the country had not visited the OPP since the early 2000s.
On behalf of the staff, he thanked the Head of State for his attention to the company.
Mykola Synytsia spoke about the current condition of the plant and the measures taken for its development. According to the director of the enterprise, major repairs of production facilities have begun, electronic transformation is taking place, debts to Naftogaz of Ukraine are being repaid, handling of Ukrainian chemical products delivered to the plant by railway for export has resumed for the first time in the last five years. Due to this, qualified staff began to return to the enterprise.
"The future of the plant is first of all people. This is the most valuable capital. Therefore, the main priority for me is to preserve the team and ensure all socio-economic conditions of their effective work," Mykola Synytsia said.
Acting Head of the Seaports Administration of Ukraine Oleksandr Holodnytskyi told the President about the preparations for the concession of the Odesa seaport passenger complex, which includes the Odesa hotel complex, a concert and exhibition hall, berths and a sea station. An order from the Ministry of Infrastructure to start this procedure has already been issued.
Also, Minister of Infrastructure of Ukraine Vladyslav Krykliy said that the IFC (International Finance Corporation - ed.) together with the EBRD were developing a feasibility study for a ferry concession project in the port of Chornomorsk.
During a meeting, the parties also raised the issues of tourism development of the region and assistance in the work of seaports. Volodymyr Zelenskyy agreed to hold another meeting with industry representatives to discuss the issues in detail.
"Prepare it and we will meet. I will be glad (to meet - ed.). I think we can meet in Kyiv within a month, if it is convenient," the Head of State said.
