Victory Day 2015 - What Victory?

This coming week we will witness celebrations of the 70th anniversary of the end of the 2nd World War (aka Great Patriotic War) The war ended on 8 May 1945. Victory Day in Europe is celebrated in many countries but has always been a major event for FSU (Former Soviet Union) countries). Celebrations usually take place on 9th May each year and this year the Russian Federation will display its so called power with large display in Moscow.  The Russians as always will celebrate the defeat of fascism.

There is no doubt that the army of the SOVIET UNION (not just the Russians) played a major part in the defeat on Nazi Germany. The SU army got to Berlin ahead of the British and the Americans.

During the past year many of us have witnessed the rise of fascism again in the Russian Federation.
Try telling a Ukrainian citizen that fascism has been defeated and they will no doubt laugh and point you in the direction of Moscow. The next victory that many of us are looking forward to is the removal of the Putin Regime from Russia.

I remember a cartoon produced by the Kyiv Post one year which showed a 'Soviet Union' pensioner begging on the street and along comes a smartly dressed healthy looking German pensioner of the same age who kindly donates a large handout to the beggar. Made me think about what victory?

I'm convinced that the state of a country can be judged by two important measures. First, the state of the country's medical and health system and how it takes care of people and second, how it takes care of pensioners. Unfortunately it is well known that pensioners in the FSU receive a financial pension that can only be described as a pittance and barely enough to survive on each month. The majority of pensioners can only live as a result of support from their families.

However, German state pensioners receive one of the highest financial pensions in the world.
(See chart)

What victory you may be thinking?

Corruption in Ukraine

Today the government made an open display of what happens to government officials suspected of corruption.

Senior Ukrainian state official Serhiy Bochkovskiy has been arrested during today's session of the Ukrainian Cabinet of Ministers. Bochkovskiy is accused of corruption and embezzlement connected to the procurement of fuels and lubricants for the State Emergency Service. Bochkovskiy's first deputy Vasyl Stoyetskiy was also detained.

See the video in the report here from Ukraine Today.

UKRAINE TRADING FUND - Now is the time to do business with Ukraine

Ukraine Trading Fund

BUY GOODS AND SERVICES FROM SMALL BUSINESSES IN UKRAINE

NOW IS A GOOD TIME TO DO BUSINESS WITH UKRAINE

The Ukraine Trading Fund helps foreign buyers to find goods and services in Ukraine and enter into successful business contracts. We help foreign buyers to:

            1. Source a Ukraine business to supply goods and/or services

            2. Negotiate an agreement

            3. Agree prices and delivery terms

            4. Reduce risk by managing the delivery and payment method

         To discuss your requirements further please contact:

     Gerald Bowers – Director – Ukraine Trading Fund

email: gerald.bowers@bbcu.com.ua

Ukraine - A clash of two mentalities ?

Andrey Kurkov the famous Ukrainian writer provides a clear insight into the mentalities of the 'two sides' of Ukraine.

People involved in business is a good example explained here:

So what really divides Ukraine?

It’s a clash of two mentalities — the post-Soviet collective mentality, where people lack initiative and are taught to depend on the boss or factory owner for perks. And people who start businesses and take responsibility themselves.

In Donbass (in the east) you won’t find many small businesses. But if you check the register in Lvov, you’ll see tens of thousands.

He makes a good point. On a visit to Lvov in the far west of Ukraine you will find many small businesses. In the service sector many small cafes and restaurants can be found in Lviv (Lvov) and the owner of each business can be found actively working on the premises and greeting customers. This is pretty much like it is across Europe.

But.....even in Kyiv the capital city it is still unusual to find a small business in the service sector where the owner(s) have hands on experience. The situation is at its most extreme in the troubled eastern parts of the country. Very few small businesses and very few people involved in entrepreneurial activities. Some will claim it is due to the fear of the local mafia who want to control as much as possible. We all know that the words mafia and local government can be used together in this part of the country.

Kurkov is right when he explains the 'post soviet collective mentality', where people are fully reliant on the local factory or owners to provide everything for the 'workers'. Many in other parts of Ukraine will gladly comment that ''Those people in the east think we owe them a living''.

On a positive note, small businesses in many parts of Ukraine (owner managed) are desperate to find new customers both local and foreign. We must do all we can to help them.

You can read the Kurkov interview here

Ukraine Tomorrow

Ukraine government has announced the launch of a new TV channel - 'Ukraine Tomorrow'

'Ukraine's Minister of Information Policy, Yuriy Stets, has announced the creation of a new channel called Ukraine Tomorrow and a new so-called "i-army" to combat Russian propaganda in an increasingly bitter information war between Moscow and Kyiv.'

The country needs to get the message out to the rest of the world about what is happening in Ukraine and what needs to be done to help put the country back on its feet.

See Ukraine Tomorrow

More than ever before Ukraine needs help both in the public and private sectors.

Crowd Funding Appeal - Ukraine Trading Fund

See our appeal here on Indiegogo

http://igg.me/p/ukraine-trading-fund/x/9925660

Ukraine Trading Fund

Ukraine Trading Fund - An Appeal via Crowdfunding

Not wanting to 'throw in the towel' on Ukraine, I have decided to try and help small businesses in Ukraine as much as possible.

As I am currently publishing and editing a magazine in Cyprus, I decided to outsource the printing of the magazine back to Ukraine and discovered the great cost savings to be made by doing business again in Kyiv. I have also appointed a designer and translator to do work on the magazine from their bases in Ukraine.

So, I got to thinking that many other businesses in other countries can benefit from having a trading relationship with both entrepreneurs and small companies back in Ukraine. We all know that times are very difficult and the economy is in a bad state. But there is so much talent available in Ukraine and so many small businesses eagerly looking for new opportunities. Gone are the days of 'advanced payments' and this has really upset the apple cart as customers are afraid to provide advance payments for fear of loosing out and suppliers are reluctant to provide products/services because they fear non-payment. Plus who knows how the banks will perform. Add to that the fear of Marshall Law being declared and we begin to understand why small businesses are living in fear of survival.

Therefore, I'm about to launch the UKRAINE TRADING FUND, with an appeal for funding via crowd funding methods. The fund will act as a bridge between customer and supplier. As follows:

1. The Ukraine Trading Fund helps small businesses to find foreign customers.
2. Supplier & Customer agree prices and terms. (Via the Fund)
3. Ukraine Trading Fund provides a guarantee to the supplier.
4. Supplier produces the goods/services
5. Customer completes payment to Ukraine Trading Fund
6. Ukraine Trading Fund completes payment to Supplier.

This will be a FREE service, provided we can attract the seed funding for one year.
The FUND will act as a buffer/risk fund just in case one of the parties in the planned business deals fails to deliver. But with careful planning the fund should remain in place.

Further details available via the BBCU website.