Emilewicz: Tenders in Ukrainian regions are attractive for Polish companies

As the State Commissioner for Polish-Ukrainian Development Cooperation, Deputy Minister of Finance and Regional Policy noted, “Ukraine is a strongly territorial country, and its regions, where tenders are also held, have a lot of autonomy.” Therefore, according to her, it is important “to create a catalog that will download not only data from the largest Kiev tenders, but also from regional tenders.” She added that they could be “more attractive to our companies – more achievable given their capabilities.”

“The task of the Polish Investment and Trade Agency will be to develop a catalog of tenders in which Polish companies can participate – such a publication should be published by the end of June, together with the reopening of the PAIH office in Kiev,” – announced Jadwiga Emilewicz.

“The Ukrainian economy is in the middle of the road, but it is still working,” the Deputy Minister of Finance and Regional Policy noted.

In Emilewicz’s opinion, the Polish companies with the greatest chance of participating in Ukraine’s post-war reconstruction are primarily those from the widely understood finishing and construction sectors. She added that she is holding meetings with companies that want to participate in this process. “I have already spoken with all the major Polish companies operating in Ukraine,” Emilevich said.

And she reports that she recently talked, for example, with the head of Oknoplast, which is ready to enter Ukraine not only with goods, but also to build a window factory there. “Today windows are being replaced in Ukraine, not only because of the war, but also because there are modernization processes going on there. Poland is the largest manufacturer of windows in Europe – we can support Ukraine in this area, and at the same time create an opportunity for development for other Polish companies. She also referred to the representatives of the construction industry – m.in. Unibep, which existed in Ukraine before the war “and still exists today, participates in tenders.”

As Emilewicz emphasized, Ukraine is a huge market – when the reconstruction process begins with a broader wave, “the absorption into the market of goods – such as cement, polystyrene, windows will be very large.” It estimated that the largest European economy and the largest companies in the European Union would not be able to handle the guarantee of supplies to the domestic market on their own. “It will be necessary to build value chains, and European companies will have to cooperate with each other so as not to withdraw from the domestic market, where investments are also being made,” she said.

Emilewicz also spoke to “all Polish business organizations” about the reconstruction of Ukraine. She noted that some of them are already active in Ukraine – for example, the Union of Entrepreneurs and Employers has opened a representative office in Kiev. “In cooperation with ZPP, the WEI think tank is working, which also plans to launch its subsidiaries in the domestic market. They are trying to connect Ukrainian companies with Polish companies, and they are also identifying Ukrainian companies that are active in Poland,” – noted the deputy minister. She added that the solutions that the government is currently developing to support companies interested in entering the Ukrainian market “will be a service not only to Polish companies, but also to foreign entities.”

Emilewicz also drew attention to the largest Polish investors in Ukraine – Kredobank, PKO Bank Polski Group and PZU. She informed that Credoback will be one of the guests at the London meeting of the G7 donor coordination platform, scheduled for June 21. She noted that “Prime Minister of Great Britain invited Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki to this meeting. It will differ from previous meetings within the platform where the private sector was also invited to it,” she noted. She noted that the amounts of aid in the reconstruction of Ukraine, initially estimated by the World Bank, “often exceed the capabilities of countries, and the contribution must also be made by the private sector.”

The Vice-President of MFiPR announced the first meetings with Polish industries wishing to invest in Ukraine for June – the so-called industry tables. “After Corpus Christi, we would like to meet the construction industry first, and then next week the transportation, logistics and freight industries,” she said. She explained that in the first place there will be talks with the Polish entities. “I want to hear from the representatives of these companies, what they need most from us. We will talk with those who have declared their readiness to enter the Ukrainian market, are determined to do so and assess the risks,” she said.

The State Commissioner for Polish-Ukrainian Development Cooperation is also planning a trip to Kiev. “I spoke with the (Poland’s) ambassador to Ukraine – PAP) Bartosz Ciechoki on this issue. In addition to meeting with representatives of the Ukrainian administration, I also count on conversations with the business community already active there – including Kredobank, PZU, but also with Ukrainian businessmen who cooperate with Polish partners “- summed up Emilewicz.