Oleksandr Korniienko, the First Vice-Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, participated in an event dedicated to summing up the results of the “Own Business” grant programme, under which Ukrainians can receive up to 250,000 UAH from the state to start or expand their own business.
The government programme was launched in the first year of russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in July 2022. “Now, despite the difficult situation in our country, we have the opportunity to implement programmes for business. In particular, we are grateful to our partners for supporting these initiatives!” the First Vice Speaker said in his speech.
Oleksandr Korniienko noted that the Ukrainian Parliament will always maintain its position aimed at supporting and expanding Ukrainian business. At the same time, he said, it is important to constantly study the opinion of entrepreneurs on where to allocate certain resources and how to increase their number. “It is important to develop creative business. Businesses that create new things: new products, new opportunities. It is also important to invest in the processing business. To become rich, the state must become a country of producers,” said the First Vice Speaker.
During the event, entrepreneurs told their own stories of running and developing their businesses. Oleksandr Korniienko shared his experience in developing a printing business and gave examples of veteran businesses that are being successfully set up by Ukrainian defenders after they return from military service to civilian life. “Recently, I personally learned the story of two veterans who opened a service station in Zviahel. They create jobs, in particular for their fellow soldiers returning from the frontline, participate in grants and successfully develop their business. This is a good example of a successful business,” said the First Vice-Speaker.
Oleksandr Korniienko thanked Ukrainian entrepreneurs for developing their own business and for their personal contribution to the development of the state. “The next ambitious task is to supply Ukrainian products to the world. Economic diplomacy can play an important role in this process. I propose to work on this in the coming years,” he said.