Bukovel as an investment magnet: Head of the State Agency of Investment and Tourism of Ukraine Novitsky on trust, digitalization and new rules of the game for developers
10 October 15:57
on October 8, Kyiv hosted a business discussion organized by the online business publication "Komersant Ukrainian" on the topic of “Bukovel as an Investment Magnet: Has the Last Train Left the Station?”. The discussion was attended by Oleksandr Novytskyi, Head of the State Inspectorate of Architecture and Urban Planning of Ukraine (SIAP), who emphasized that the development of resorts, including Bukovel, requires not only money but also trust between the state, business and the community.
“We are a young but fully-fledged digital authority. Over the four years of its work, the SIA has become an open platform for dialogue with business. We do not control every new building – the system is decentralized, and some powers have been delegated to communities,” Novitsky said.
According to him, Polianytsia is one of the settlements that has delegated powers to issue permits and control construction. At the same time, the SACI remains the key institution responsible for state supervision and transparency of processes.
“We see trust growing after the introduction of digital procedures. Businesses are starting to come out of the shadows, legalize unauthorized facilities, and obtain permits. This is a signal that when the rules are equal, the system works,” emphasized the head of the DIAA.
Digital services and “the end of the era of offices”
Novytskyi spoke in detail about new tools that make permitting procedures as transparent as possible:
- a mobile application for technical supervision that allows inspectors to record every stage of the facility inspection
- auto-registration of documents of class CC1, which already covers 40% of all notifications and allows avoiding the influence of the “human factor”;
- push notifications from the SIA, which are sent directly to customers’ smartphones and allow them to track decisions without visiting the portal.
“We work faster than the law requires. Previously, it took up to ten days to review documents, but today it takes an average of 24 to 72 hours,” said Novitsky.
Investments after the war: challenges and opportunities
Mr. Novytsky also emphasized that after Ukraine’s victory, the tourism and recreational infrastructure could become one of the drivers of economic recovery.
“The potential of Bukovel is far from being exhausted. After the war, it will become not only a Ukrainian but also an international tourism center. And our task is to create a predictable environment for investors, where the rules are clear and equal for everyone,” summarized Mr. Novytsky.
Bukovel is not only a tourist brand, but a test for the entire Ukrainian development system. The way the government ensures transparency, digitalization and a level playing field for everyone will determine whether it will become a real “investment magnet” after the war.
Oleksandr Novytskyi, Chairman of the DIAA, showed that the government has a vision and real tools to create trust between business, communities and the state, which is the basis for the future economic recovery.
