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4 February, 2022
Olena Trehub: Baykar Makina to build a plant in Ukraine, but there are corruption risks
Turkey will build a plant to manufacture "Bayraktar" unmanned aerial vehicles in Ukraine. According to the opinion expressed by Olena Trehub, NAKO Executive Director, in Ukraine 24 TV channel, the project provides Turkey with wide opportunities, on the one hand. On the other hand, investors clearly understand that in Ukraine they will encounter red tape and corruption.          
       
She noted that Turkey is interested in Ukrainian engines for UAVs, in Ukrainian technologies and personnel. Ankara also plans to sell the products manufactured in Ukraine to the external markets, namely to the former CIS countries, Europe. An important factor is that thanks to Ukraine, Ankara will be able to solve certain problems regarding spare parts.     "Turkey has already encountered sanctions imposed by other states. For instance, Canada, being the supplier of the spare parts for these UAVs, imposed an embargo because Turkey supplied arms to Azerbaijan during the conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia.    
            
And risks of such restrictions may still arise in the future. If the plant is built in Ukraine, the said spare parts may be, in the legal sense, supplied from Canada to the Ukrainian company", reminded Olena Trehub. According to her, Ukraine itself will be able, owing to the joint venture, to create new jobs, get new technologies and have its share of profit from selling Bayraktars.   
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And the Armed Forces of Ukraine will get the major part of high-precision combat UAVs. At the same time, Ukraine should work on the improvement of its investment climate, in particular, fighting corruption in the military-industrial complex, the head of IACC emphasized.                             
"Even back in the summer, Baykar Makina raised its concerns about red tape and corruption in the Ukrainian MIC. Nevertheless, Turkey takes a serious interest in launching the manufacture in Ukraine, and so it is ready to try", she explained.