Mykhailo Sokolov, Deputy Chairman of the Ukrainian Agri Council, has taken part in the forum “Dialogue between the government and business: new opportunities for the development of MSMEs,” organized by the Ukrainian Business Council with the support of UNDP in Ukraine. The event was dedicated to discussing the challenges facing small and medium-sized businesses, including those operating in frontline and affected regions.

During the discussion, Mykhailo Sokolov raised a number of key issues that require urgent resolution at the state level. In particular, he stressed the need to classify occupied assets as losses so that enterprises would not be forced to pay income tax on amounts forgiven by banks or on the sale of evacuated property.

He also noted the need to amend labor legislation to allow employers to dismiss employees without notice in cases of occupation or active hostilities.

"Enterprises that find themselves in the occupation zone or under constant shelling are effectively deprived of the opportunity to operate and guarantee the safety of their employees. We cannot require them to follow the same procedures that apply in peacetime. The state must give businesses the opportunity to respond to such extraordinary circumstances in a legally correct manner," Mykhailo Sokolov stressed.