COLOGNE, Germany, December 3, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

In November 2012, a reputable German Center for Intercultural Cooperation and Communication (Zentrum für interkulturelle Kooperation und Kommunikation e. V (ZIKK, Cologne)) conducted a survey among German experts on the state of economies in European countries and the prospects of overcoming the financial and economic crisis.

Twenty-five experts took part in the survey, among them economists, political scientists, sociologists, representatives of NGOs and journalists.

Upon survey completion a press conference was held in Cologne on November 29 where the following survey results were presented.

Eighty-eight percent of experts have expressed cautious optimism and noted the presence of numerous indicators, which allow us to consider the mid-term perspective for European economies in overcoming the crisis.

The highest marks of the experts for the European leaders' efforts in overcoming the financial crisis were deservedly awarded to the German Chancellor Angela Merkel and the European Central Bank President Mario Draghi.

It was a pleasant surprise to know that among the heads of governments and national banks in Eastern Europe the highest marks of German experts were awarded to the Head of the National Bank of Ukraine Sergiy Arbuzov for successfully countering the financial and economic crisis.

In particular, the experts noted the decisive actions of the NBU to strengthen hryvnia exchange rate in autumn of this year, despite the political turbulence caused by the recent elections to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine and the unfavorable external economic environment (especially, in the metals market).

The majority of German experts (76%) consider Sergiy Arbuzov to be the person who can achieve the resumption of cooperation between Ukraine and the IMF. Summarizing the views of German experts on this issue, the ZIKK Chairman and Professor of the Economics Julius Kesin told a press-conference: "Serhyi Arbuzov possesses, on the one hand, an optimal combination of high-level qualification and experience, and on the other - an untapped potential and susceptibility to the new - in order to successfully cope with the complicated challenges which the Ukrainian economy is currently facing."