Ukrainian conference at Davos

This year, the sixth annual Ukraine conference at Davos involved around 40 Ukrainian businesses. At this Davos event foreign investors have a chance to meet face-to-face with the owners and top executives of the biggest Ukrainian enterprises.

The centerpiece of the conference was two video bridges to Ukraine’s Presidential candidates: one with Yulia Tymoshenko and the other with Viktor Yanukovych. In addition, the room was able to ask questions of the first and second runners-up in this election race, Serhiy Tihipko and Arseniy Yatseniuk, who were present at Davos.

Mr. Yanukovych talked about how he planned to improve relations with Russia, offering the predictable response that partnership would be necessary in the future. His top priority appears to be for the President to be able to consolidate power in the country.

When asked what she would do as President, Ms. Tymoshenko replied: reform the economy, fight corruption, and reform the judiciary. One investor asked, “What needs to change for Ukraine to become more attractive for investment?” the Premier insisted on the need for political stability, deregulation and free economic zones.

Former Polish President Alexander Kwasniewski offered some advice to the future President of Ukraine. Sweden’s Foreign Minister Karl Bildt mentioned the transparency of the first round of this election and his expectations of the results of the run-off round. He expected the second round to go off without any disturbances, basing his conviction on the way the first round went. “Europe can see that the last election went through fairly and freely,” Mr. Bildt emphasized.