Ukraine targets to raise 800 mln USD from privatization in 2015

Ukraine hopes to raise about 800 million U.S. dollars this year by selling stakes in state- controlled enterprises, a government official said here Thursday.

"The non-strategic companies, which have no other purpose than to 'make money', would be the subject for privatization," Adomas Auditskas, a senior adviser to the Economic Development and Trade Minister, told a media briefing.

According to him, the privatization will help to fill the cash- strapped state budget and enhance the efficiency of the Ukrainian enterprises, which are suffering from the lack of investment.

Currently, a total of 1,833 state enterprises are functioning in Ukraine, while about 1,500 others halted their work, Auditskas said.

According to Ukraine's central bank, last year the East European country raised about 22.1 million dollars from privatization of the government-controlled enterprises. Endite