Sevastopol Shipyards Hope on Russian Orders

14.09.2011 Hopefully, soon it would be advantageous for Russia's Black Sea Fleet (BSF) to repair ships in Ukraine, and Sevastopol yards would obtain an order fr om Russian defense ministry, said Sevastopol Mayor Yury Doynikov at the city council session.

"As of today, the truth is that Russian warships are repaired wh erever except Ukraine. We had official information that six Russian ships were repaired in Bulgaria. Obviously, there are some bilateral issues. Matters of international cooperation are definitely government affairs but not local council's ones. However, my wish is that we must cooperate. You see, if the fleet is based here and there are prospects up to 2042, it is economical mistake to have no repair base here", Doynikov said.

According to the mayor, such issues should be resolved on organizational and legislative levels. "Perhaps, the problem is related to value added tax. Look, when works are performed here in Sevastopol, in another country, there are some issues connected to so-called import and export VAT. And those problems must be settled at governmental level. When they are resolved, it would be possible to repair Black Sea Fleet ships here", said Yury Doynikov.

As for him, "interests of both countries clash here, so they are slowed by political circumstances. You must understand what I mean. Different deadlines are named, from six to nine months. But being the city mayor, I am interested in that [repair of BSF ships in Sevastopol – editors]".

Yury Doynikov considers that "economically, it is to Russia's advantage. Of course, if one looks at cost but not at policy".