The esteemed guests of the solemn ceremony for the honorable mission of presenting awards to the winners of the All-Ukrainian Rating

“Conscientious Taxpayer – 2023” included:

  • Yelena Shulyak, Chairwoman of the “Servant of the People” party, Chair of the Committee on State Power Organization, Local Self-Government, Regional Development, and Urban Planning;
  • Stanislav Petrov, Deputy Chairman of the Agency for Asset Recovery and Management (hereinafter – ARMA);
  • Igor Degnera, Chairman of the State Labor Service of Ukraine;
  • Danilo Hetmantsev, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Financial Issues,
  • Tax and Customs Policy, People’s Deputy;
  • Anatoliy Kinakh, President of the Ukrainian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs;
  • Mikhail Nepran, First Deputy President of the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry;
  • Dmitry Serebryansky, Acting Rector of the State Tax University.

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Considering the objective reasons of today, representatives and members of regional branches of the Association also participated in the event online. Simultaneously with the live broadcast, a solemn award ceremony for the All-Ukrainian Rating “Honest Taxpayer – 2023” took place at the Main Directorate of the State Tax Service in the Poltava region, with the participation of the Chair of the Council of TV VOO APPU in the Poltava region, Galina Zakharchenko, and the Acting Head of the Main Directorate of the State Tax Service in the Poltava region, Alla Ryabkova.

From the VOO APPU, the event was attended by Vice-Presidents Yosif Buchynsky, Vyacheslav Nekrasov, Valeriy Omelyaneko and Council members Yuliya Burkovskaya, Zakharij Varnaliy, Liliya Dolynska, Oleksiy Malevanets, Igor Misievich, Oleksiy Nemeryuk, Alina Skomorokhova, Volodymyr Shvatchenko, Oleksandr Korystin, Dmitry and executive directors of TV VOO APPU in Kirovohrad and Chernihiv regions, respectively: Natalia Pashina and Irina Olkhovik and Council member of TV VOO APPU in Vinnytsia region Alena Martynova.

The Vice-Presidents Yosif Buchynsky, Vyacheslav Nekrasov, and Valeriy Omelyaneko carried out the honorable mission of presenting awards to the winners.

The moderator of the event, Vice-President, General Director of VOO APPU Ludmila Gerasimenko congratulated all participants of the solemn ceremony and began her speech with the words: “Dear ladies and gentlemen, today we have gathered together in the familiar format that has become customary for all of us over the past year, for obvious reasons. The solemn ceremony of awarding taxpayers – the winners of the All-Ukrainian Rating ‘Honest Taxpayer – 2023’ is taking place today in a mixed format of offline and online. Nevertheless, we sincerely want to thank all of you for your understanding and support. We are confident that we will celebrate those who have received the high title of ‘Honest Taxpayer – 2023’ in a friendly, warm circle. I am glad to welcome all those present at our festive event. We, the powerful Association of Taxpayers of Ukraine, are the organizers of this event, which celebrated its 25th anniversary last year since its founding.”

The moderator gave the floor to the Chairman of the Higher Rating Commission, President of the All-Ukrainian Public Organization “Association of Taxpayers of Ukraine”, Vice-President of the European Taxpayers Association, Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador Grigol Katamadze, who thanked the defenders who protect our land from occupation, freedom, and independence, for the opportunity to live and work. “We believe in our Victory! We pray for the health of every defender! We remember and honor the memory of every Hero who gave their life for Ukraine,” emphasized Grigol Katamadze.

Participants of the event honored the memory of every Hero who gave their life for our freedom and independence, for our Ukraine, as well as the memory of innocent civilians who became victims of the cynical Russian invasion with a moment of silence.

At the invitation of Vice-President, General Director of VGO APPU Ludmila Gerasimenko, participants from the cultural and artistic center “Constellation” of the State Tax University performed the musical composition “Oh, in the meadow the red viburnum,” which was sung by the Sich Riflemen, and it has become unofficial. “In 2022, during the ruthless war of Russia against Ukraine, this song resonated again, but with new strength. It is a call to fight for the liberation of Ukraine and love for the Motherland,” noted The Moderator.

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Ludmila Gerasimenko thanked the Acting Rector of the State Tax University, esteemed Dmitry Serebryansky, head of the youth policy department of the State Tax University Konstantin Kononenko, and the team of the Cultural and Artistic Center “Constellation” for their excellent performance of the musical composition.

Next, the President of VOO APPU Grigol Katamadze spoke: “I firmly believe that Ukraine will soon emerge from the war victorious, but we will never return to our past life. The price that has already been paid and will continue to be paid for peace is too high. History has long shown that the real victor of a war is the country that can recover from the consequences of war the fastest and create a transparent and efficient economy in place of the destroyed one. Only by building such conditions for future generations can we truly honor the memory of each of the heroes who gave their lives for our independence.”

Moreover, the President of the Association emphasized that the First Decision of the Board of VOO APPU in 2024 was Decision No. 1/01 dated January 9, 2024, on the resumption of the annual All-Ukrainian Rating “Honest Taxpayers - 2023,” the conduct of which was halted due to the full-scale military invasion of Russia into Ukraine, and noted: “I am grateful to all members of the Association’s Board for supporting the initiative to resume the Rating by the Association. It is worth noting that our team not only conducts the ‘Conscientious Taxpayer’ Rating but also received legal confirmation of its belonging to the Association of Taxpayers of Ukraine in April 2020. The symbol of the rating is a statuette in the form of a female figure. This symbol combines the image of Ukraine and the image of Glory.

In my opinion, the rating is a socio-economic project that disseminates information about its participants and winners, as well as promotes the fundamental principle of honest business practices. Almost at every award ceremony during my speech, in the presence of the Minister of Finance of Ukraine, the head of the State Tax Service of Ukraine, I have always noted that if we are awarding taxpayers whose main principle is to conduct honest business and the selection process for winners includes the participation of the tax service, then the tax service should “forget the way” to such a taxpayer. Of course, obtaining the status of a winner in the Conscientious Taxpayer Rating is not an indulgence, as business is currently operating under heroic conditions, continuing not only to produce goods but also to pay taxes to the budget, pay salaries, and support the Armed Forces of Ukraine,” summarized Grigol Katamadze.

The President of the Association Grigol Katamadze thanked esteemed Sergey Marchenko - Minister of Finance of Ukraine for supporting the All-Ukrainian Rating “Honest Taxpayer” and for the efforts he continues to make for the implementation of extremely necessary reforms for Ukraine. Considering the long-standing partnership on all issues that will ensure the prosperity and stability of Ukraine, he noted: “VOO APPU has prepared for the esteemed Sergey Mikhailovich Marchenko, Minister of Finance of Ukraine, a commemorative Sign of the Association of Taxpayers of Ukraine ‘Handshake,’ which symbolizes trust and guarantees our good intentions towards the Ministry of Finance of Ukraine as a partner, as well as a manifestation of respect personally to the head of the Ministry of Finance of Ukraine. We express our confidence in maintaining stable