KIEV, UKRAINE — Ukraine and Slovakia plan to develop their first joint investment project for the production of bioethanol, the Ukrainian Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food said on Nov. 5. 

It will be realized at one of the Ukrainian alcohol factories by the end of this year. A special working group will be created soon. The plan was discussed at a meeting of the Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine Mykola Prysyazhnyuk with Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Slovak Republic to Ukraine Pavel Gamzhik.

"We should maximize the potential of the domestic sugar-processing and grain industries. Production of bioethanol is particularly suitable for this purpose. This, the first joint venture with Slovakia, will involve new technologies in biofuel production in Ukraine. The government must be a reliable partner, because the state is interested in the implementation of such investment projects," Prysyazhnyuk said.

In turn, Gamzhik said that the Slovak side is willing to develop such an investment project with Ukraine.

In addition, during the negotiations the Slovak side has expressed readiness to assist Ukraine in harmonizing legislation in the agricultural sector after the signing of the Association Agreement with the E.U.