experts believe that in this way creates a framework for the revival of free economic zones …

Last week, the Verkhovna Rada has once again agreed to help the depressive territories. The adopted amendments to the law in theory aimed at a more objective assessment of the regions. In fact, under the pre-existing criteria, as it turned out, did not come, no region and no region of Ukraine.

term depressed area appeared in the Ukrainian legislation in 2005, when the Act was enacted on the promotion of regional development. But, as argued in the Ministry of Economy, for all these years, no region or district has not been officially recognized depressive because none meet the criteria. In this two-year succession of steady state budget allocated money to help those lagging behind. In 2007, the development of regions, including depression, was allocated 100 million UAH., In the 2008-meters - 150 million

doubtful that the authors of the law did not know about the problem with the methodology. This was at one time, many experts say. But this situation is allowed to allocate subsidies to depressed areas in the manual mode. According to the Chamber, in 2007 split the money four areas - Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhia, and Volyn, although according to the findings of a working group to address this issue, to the performance indicators, the most close to the depressive were Zhytomyr, Transcarpathian and Cherkasy region. But even those regions which have received budgetary funds are not spent on the purpose - to solve the current problems in the housing sector, not to stimulate the economy.

It should be noted that the year 2005 the law has attempted to rewrite. As a rule, in favor of a particular region. Particularly strong in this field emerged defenders miners Lugansk region, at their own expense, three attempts to redirect the depression money in the empty miner towns. But the Ministry insisted on the more objective indicators, which, as noted, if necessary, can be adjusted Cabinet of Ministers. This is an outline version of the changes and was accepted.
In

profile committees of Parliament said that the main feature of the new law was a departure from the categorical criteria. Previously, aid could be directed only to those three to five years in a row contrive to occupy last place in the socio-economic indicators (such as was not). Now would be recognized depressive regions, as well as industrial, rural and urban areas, which in the past three years, the average values of the indicators differed significantly for the worse from that of the similar areas. On the one hand, this language makes possible the use of the mechanism of targeted assistance to depressed areas. But at the same time converts the distribution of this assistance in a totally manual mode.

Firstly, the law prescribed no quantitative restrictions on the depressed areas. Indicated only that the economic and social indicators should be the most critical. In this case, the budget money can be divided as to the three regions, and at ten. 0.2% revenue in the current reality - this is the order of 470 million UAH. Amount not so much if it is distributed between hundreds of cities. However, in the Ministry hopes that the current setting of the money will be sent to one or two of the most depressed region. But this is just a wish.

Secondly, the legislation does not set the possible deviations from the average socio-economic indicators, in which a region or territory will be recognized as depressed. These borders must be separately approved by Cabinet of Ministers, but it is the indicator of the number of dependent territories as recognized depressive. Incidentally, the timing of possible revision of these criteria is not established, so the receiving gospomosch may be something more, something less - as the Cabinet will decide. But experts believe that the withdrawal of the depressed state of the region requires years of stable work.

And third, the language of substantially higher or substantially below that defines the territory of depression, do not expect any objectivity. It is clear that this criterion will also be adjusted directly by the government.

questions are themselves criteria. To the region was recognized as depressive, he should have the lowest gross regional product per capita over the past five years. But the State Committee for Statistics publishes this information with a delay of one year or more. As a result, the sample can reach the regions have already withdrawn from the state of depression. For example, the approbation of the proposed criteria, which was conducted in 2004 showed that the most depressed areas include Sevastopol.

This was due to low rates of 1997-1999, but recent data Goskomstat still not announced. And the Kherson region, where a catastrophic drop in performance began in 2001, did not hit the list of depression, as well as average figures for five years have been quite decent.

If we talk about cities, they can be recognized depressive, if during the last three years the level of registered unemployment is significantly higher, while the average monthly salary substantially below the average for similar areas. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian statistics to find the unemployment rate in the city of regional importance is practically impossible. The point is that in many cases the urban centers of employment combined with the district and collect statistics for the district as a whole, not separately allocating the city. And even if for the definition of depression employment centers move to new collection statdannyh, would still need three years to monitor for compliance with criteria.

However, such complexity is easily explained. First, the law will come into effect until next year, and provided that its effect will not be suspended (as it had already in 2006). And during that time Cabinet will have to adjust the requirements, so that the list of depressed hit only correct regions. Secondly, it seems that directly help the backward areas, no one is concerned - just svezheprinyaty paper allows to prepare the ground for a more interesting bills.

a couple of months ago, People's Deputy Oleksandr Yefremov stated that assistance to such areas should not be limited budgetary resources are needed more and certain tax preferences. And a couple of days prior to the adoption of amendments to the law in the Verkhovna Rada has registered a bill which proposed to introduce a new concept - the State investment credit.

In fact, this delay of several years of payment of customs duties and VAT on importation of imported equipment for the depressed area. Experts immediately began to talk about the revival of free economic zones. And Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko later date after the adoption of the law said that it supported the idea of setting up SEZ, the truth, only for products going for export, and produced within the depressed areas.

experts believe that the attraction of investors to such areas and the city - good deal. 0.2% budget unlikely to help all the needy, while the attraction of capital and time must be a priority of government. Another question - not whether depression of the new tax and the holes are not there because the representatives of some regions are urged to consider it their territory depressive.

Victoria filed

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