The new premises of the Ukrainian Interbank Currency Exchange were ceremoniously opened on August 21. Among those present was Premier Valery Pustovoitenko, thus attaching special importance to the event (another possible reason for his presence is that he wanted once again to assure the populace of the Cabinet's and National Bank's viability in view of the impending financial crisis).
UICE is indeed a serious factor in Ukraine's economic life, being one of the major tools for implementing national foreign exchange policy. Word has spread of late that it will be the only place where business people will be able to buy and sell hard currency. The National Bank hurried to refuted the allegation, but common sense has it that if and when NBU resolves to retain the hryvnia within its currency corridor, it will have to be backed by UICE.
Aside from its nationwide importance the new UICE site aroused special interest due to Stock Exchange Committee President Vadym Hetman's assassination. The reader should be reminded that among many versions of his death is one about fighting to control the new exchange premises. Hard as The Day tried to receive more information on the subject, all it ended up with were exchange officials' assurances that any such allegations were totally unfounded.
Photo by Volodymyr Rasner, The Day:
A new corridor of hope?







