Current situation in Ukraine

General information

On March 17, Ukraine introduced an emergency regime as measures for the non-proliferation of coronavirus. The measures will be valid until April 24. According to the Ministry of Health, on March 29, 418 cases of the virus were registered in the country, nine people died.

Emergency mode includes:

- regular passenger flights are banned
- cultural, shopping, fitness, entertainment centers, restaurants, cafes, etc.are closed
- preparation of medical institutions for the reception and treatment of infected patients
- citizens receiving a pension of less than 5000 hryvnias (160 €) will receive a surcharge of 1000 hryvnias (30 €)
-  ensuring the smooth operation of grocery stores, gas stations, pharmacies, banks, insurance companies, as well as all enterprises of state infrastructure and freight transport

The National Bank of Ukraine believes that catastrophic scenarios are not expected. Ukraine’s economy is ready for crisis, and its decline will be similar to other countries.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced an imminent tranche from International Monetary Fund in the amount of $ 2 billion. As Zelensky explained, in order to grant a loan, it is necessary that Ukraine adopts two bills — on the non-return of nationalized banks to former shareholders and land reform. “No one wants a default in the country. I’m sure our deputies will hear me and this will not happen,” he said. According to him, the funds received from the IMF will immediately go to the state budget. It should be noted that both bills are unpopular and voting on them is not guaranteed.

Tourism
The limitation of air traffic due to the spread of the epidemic of a new type of coronavirus COVID-19 is a force majeure event, which is why tour operators and travel agencies offer all their tourists to wait for the situation to normalize and take the opportunity to re-plan their vacation.

For those tourists who do not agree or cannot postpone the tour, it is possible to freeze money until they are ready to resume the search for a new tour.

The position of most tour operators: “We just need to survive. The tourism industry is doing everything possible to keep our freedom of travel.”