SOE “Rykhalske” and the State Property Fund: Working Together with the Staff to Find a Way Out of the Crisis

Following a visit by Dmytro Natalukha, Chairman of the State Property Fund of Ukraine, and Olena Spirina, Deputy Chairwoman of the Fund, to the state-owned enterprise “Rykhalske,” a working meeting was held with representatives of SOE “Rykhalske.” Olena Spirina and Legal Department Director Hanna Matys discussed with employee representative Anatoliy Prysyazhnyuk and the “Rykhalske” legal department specific steps to bring the enterprise out of crisis and meet the needs of its employees.

The main focus is on land issues (in particular, the possibility of land distribution) and stabilizing the overall situation at the enterprise. The Fund’s task is to act systematically and strictly within the legal framework, while prioritizing the interests of the company’s employees. Given the critical situation and the number of accumulated problems at the company, the parties agreed to hold their next meeting on August 21, during which they plan to continue seeking solutions to the issues raised.

The Communications Department of the State Property Fund of Ukraine sincerely apologizes to the public and the company’s employees for the insufficient and untimely information regarding the results of the recent working visit by the Fund’s head, Dmytro Natalukha, to the state-owned enterprise “Rykhalske.” We are rectifying this and providing an accurate picture of the situation.

The Fund Chairman’s personal visit to the Zhytomyr region and his direct communication with the staff provided an opportunity to assess the actual situation. The enterprise had been in a state of managerial chaos for a long time due to inaction and inadequate oversight on the part of the state-owned enterprise’s previous management and the responsible deputy chairmen of the State Property Fund of Ukraine. The situation regarding the care of property and livestock has become critical and requires the immediate deployment of specialized veterinary and agricultural resources. A face-to-face meeting with employees provided an opportunity to hear firsthand about wage arrears and the acute problems facing the farm’s day-to-day operations.

The situation at the “Rykhalske” State Enterprise had reached a breaking point that required immediate intervention and tough management decisions. Currently, the State Property Fund of Ukraine is developing a phased roadmap to resolve the crisis, focusing on the actual needs of the employees, the preservation of state property, and the restoration of justice.