Some 40% of all relocated businesses now operating in Zakarpattia region

The relevant statement was made by Zakarpattia Regional Military Administration Head Myroslav Biletskyi in a commentary to an Ukrinform correspondent during the development forum Re:Open Zakarpattia.

“Currently, we have 282 entities, which resumed operations, including individual entrepreneurs,” Biletskyi told.

In his words, relocated businesses have completely changed the region.

“Let me explain better with figures. In 2021, the regional budget was UAH 2.6 billion. Now, our budget is UAH 2.4 billion. Indeed, it is slightly lower than the pre-war budget, but there is an important nuance. As of 2021, 60% of our budget was government subsidies. As of 2024, our dependence on subsidies is around 25%. Therefore, relocated businesses are billions that we have never collected until now. Prior to that, we collected millions in taxes,” Biletskyi noted.

According to Zakarpattia Regional Council Head Roman Sarai, 40% of all relocated businesses are now operating in the Zakarpattia region.

“As of today, relocated enterprises have already invested EUR 1 billion in the region. We cannot feel it immediately – it is a process that continues and will continue for many years. The structure of the regional budget has changed. The level of subsidies was one of the highest in the country, and now it has significantly decreased. In order for the communities to feel the actual changes, the region should become non-subsidized, and then it will be possible to invest in infrastructure projects,” Sarai explained.

A reminder that a total of 400 enterprises had relocated to the Zakarpattia region since 2022. Following the de-occupation, some of them moved back. According to the data from the regional authorities, the Zakarpattia region sees the highest rise in vacancies from among all regions of the country.

Photo: Serhii Denysenko