Mykhailo Merkulov, CEO of Arricano, participated in the first session of Straight Talk, an exclusive series of events from Kyiv Post in cooperation with Redcliffe Partners, which took place on April 20, 2017 in Fedoriv Hub.

Almost a year ago the Prime Minister of Ukraine Volodymyr Groysman promised to remove all obstacles that would hinder the development of Ukrainian business by continuing to carry out deregulation and the removal of unjustified inspections and permits so that businesses would be able to develop more freely and to create new work places. Yet, to this date, businesses in Ukraine are claiming to still feel the pressures from the fiscal authorities and law enforcement agencies. Straight Talk is a discussion format of communication which purpose is either to confirm or to dispel public perceptions of pressure on business and to demonstrate if and where it has improved. 

During Straight Talk event we will investigate and shed light on how easy or difficult it is for local and international business to run their companies when complying with regulations. After consideration of cases, opinions, positions and views, as a result of the discussion and search of mutual solutions, the audience comes to a clearer understanding of how they can move forward by using realistic and available tools to their businesses which will help to eliminate misunderstandings between the government and business.

The first battle of Straight Talk was devoted to the topic: "Pressure on business." The speakers of the first discussion were Jonathan Popper, Executive Vice President for Corporate Development and Strategy of the open Joint-Stock Company “Ukrnafta”, Serhii Vovchenko, head of the Milk Alliance Supervisory Board, Yulia Marushevska, Ukrainian activist and former chief of Odessa customs, Mykhailo Merkulov, CEO of Arricano Real Estate Plc, Yurii Terentiev, Chairman of the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine, Yaroslav Hrehirchak, FCArb, Deputy Business Ombudsman of Ukraine.  The one-hour discussion has been moderated by Dmytro Fedoruk, one of the top transactional lawyers of Ukraine, who worked on investment projects which  significantly boosted the energy, oil and gas, agricultural business, pharmaceuticals and infrastructure sectors.

Mykhailo Merkulov, CEO of Arricano, emphasizes that Straight Talk is a format with direct questions and sincere answers: "Among other events and conferences related to business protection, it was the first open, emotional and sincere conversation between business and government officials, moderated in style of British talk show.”

As a result of the first discussion devoted to "Pressure on Business", the audience and the speakers agreed as follows:

• Taxes and other mandatory payments provide a reliable business reputation and an automatic opportunity to talk openly about pressure and violations of officials.
• To make any business work relatively stable, the company must work in the legal field: the main concern of the company shall be payment of all taxes and compulsory payments, instead of “problem-solving”.
• Objectively, business is the only party interested in transparent work of the government and in the absence of opportunity to pressure business without legal grounds on the part of governmental authorities.
• To work on prevention of raiding, namely: to attract high-class lawyers and other professionals.
• Corruption in power can be defeated only under two conditions: when new people, young, with modern education and values come to power, and when officials, ranging from the lowest positions will have descent salaries.

Mykhailo Merkulov emphasized that business in Ukraine would be grateful if projects like Straight Talk would become a catalyst for opening up illegal actions of corrupt officials and for restoring of the country's investment attractiveness.