NDSC deals with the crisis in Ukraine’s aviation sector

Aviation policy is “practically nonexistent” in Ukraine, NDSC Secretary Yevhen Marchuk declared at the Council’s meeting on September 27. “Due to the absence of a strategy to develop the nation’s aviation sector, Ukraine’s airports have turned into support bases for European airports, through which the bulk of their cargo and passengers pass.” Mr. Marchuk further stated that Ukrainian air carriage has registered a dramatic decline in recent years, so that now it constitutes a mere 0.02% of the overall passenger traffic. Only ten of Ukraine’s over 100 airports are still functioning. The number of unpaved airfields has decreased 17 times. Only 19 are available, reports Interfax Ukraine.

The most important argument to make NDSC broach the subject was the disastrous situation in Ukraine’s aviation sector, Mr. Marchuk stated, pointing out, “The state has in many ways lost its levers of influence on and control over aviation, resulting in its serious disorganization.” He pointed to the absence of a legal framework. Thus, of 4,000 statutes needed to regulate civil aviation, only 70 have been worked out.

The NDSC Secretary believes public property in not being effectively utilized in the aviation sector. There are 25 aircraft of various designs outside Ukraine, leased out to commercial firms by state enterprises. In most cases the leases were concluded to the detriment of Ukraine’s national interests. One such agreement made with Nigeria accounts for $500,000 US lost by the state budget. Also, leases signed in 1992- 94 have all expired, but the aircraft have not been returned to Ukraine.

Mr. Marchuk stressed that the President of Ukraine, attending the NDSC sitting, said law enforcement authorities should pay serious attention to wrongdoing in the aviation sector, stressing that measures must be taken to correct the situation.

The NDSC meeting also discussed the An-70 project’s failure. Apart from the world market situation, domestic factors had also been at play to prevent the aircraft from becoming a medium-class European transport carrier, NDSC Secretary believes, adding, “From the outset the project was not supported or promoted by all government agencies on its way to the world market. There were a host of chaotic, uncoordinated, and ineffective efforts made.” He went on to say that the destruction of one of the onboard units and the absence of An-70 serial output seriously damaged the project’s image, making its market access even more complicated. Simultaneously, Mr. Marchuk stated that he does not want to overly dramatize the AN-70 situation. “We still can put this project to good use,” he said.

Commenting on NDSC meeting’s decisions, the NDSC Secretary noted that they are aimed at forming a “modern structure for the aviation sector.” “These decisions are anything but simple,” he recognized, “considering that there are very many negatives in the aviation sphere.”