The prospect of implementing the Mineral Agreement with the USA may be attractive for Ukrainian greenfield companies that already have special permits for areas with mineral deposits critical for the EU or the USA, the founder of NADRA.info, Volodymyr Boyko, has said.
Among such companies, the Expert named, in particular, the investment group BGV Group Management of Gennady Butkevich, as well as the companies of Vitaliy Yakimenko and Oleksandr Nastenko.
“But at the same time, for some super-mining investors – Ferrexpo, Black Iron – the deal will be a real test of strength. After all, against the background of preparing international agreements, officials have already actually announced another hunt for” sleeping “licences”,” Boyko commented on the situation to the Interfax-Ukraine news agency.
In his opinion, redistribution of subsoil use rights is a very likely reality in the near future.
“It remains to wish wisdom to the auditors: that” under the knife “did not let projects, the implementation of which was delayed by objective circumstances that do not depend on (the desire or intentions – IF-U) subsoil users,” – said the founder of NADRA.info.
He also believes that the agreement with the US may lead to a thorough audit of the companies’ previous activities in the extractive industry.
“We can also assume that the agreement will be a trigger to start auditing not only” sleeping “special permits in private hands, but also a thorough public audit of all state-owned companies and enterprises in the extractive industry for each special permit, PSA or CD (production sharing agreement, joint activity agreement – If-u), for each well drilled or leased, for each management decision,” Boyko added.
As reported, Ukraine and the United States on 30 April concluded a framework agreement on economic partnership. It was signed by First Vice Prime Minister of Economy Yuliya Sviridenko and US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. It referred to the creation of a US-Ukraine recovery investment fund.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmygal expressed hope that the Verkhovna Rada would ratify the signed agreement by 8 May. “Technical” agreements have not yet been signed and published.