Prime Minister of Ukraine
Volodymyr Groysman met on Monday with a delegation from the United States to
tackle issue of reforming the Ukrainian customs and they presented the main
recommendations concerning the needs of the customs service according to the
results of their work.
At the beginning of the
meeting, the Head of Government noted that event would be the beginning of the
formation of “a rather ambitious, but absolutely realistic blueprint for the
reform of the Ukrainian customs and border services”.
According to him, the old
system of operation of the Ukrainian customs which was traditionally entwined
with certain mechanisms of abuse, corruption, bribery and illicit enrichment
shall be destroyed, but instead a new customs service should replace it.
"The system requires broad, cross-cutting transformations", said
Volodymyr Groysman.
The Prime Minister reminded that the
organization of the mission’s activities with the participation of experts of
the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Department to
upgrade the customs service of Ukraine had become the result of his arrangement
with Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border
Protection Gil Kerlikowske, Vice-President of the U.S.
Joe Biden and the U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry.
"I raised the problem that Ukrainian
customs requires changes and reforms, so for me as the initiator it is very
important and I'm going to do everything in power to ensure implementation of
this reform", said Volodymyr Groysman.
Members of the U.S. mission for the assessment
of needs provided recommendations regarding the reform of the customs service
of Ukraine, which will be contained in their report.
They noted key lines of retrofitting the
customs, such as: improving the professionalism and efficiency of organization
of the service, use of technology, equipment and reduction of the human factor,
change of the management system in the customs service and trade to increase
fees, revenues and the protection of national security, as well as the
eradication of corruption.
Volodymyr Groysman expressed hope that the
report would form the basis of the necessary actions to be approved by the
Cabinet of Ministers. "It will be a guide for others and a commitment that
reform needs to be accomplished", he said.
The Prime Minister proposed to establish a
working group comprising representatives of Ukrainian and American side to
execute the elaborated recommendations.
Participants of the meeting also agreed on the
need for a comprehensive implementation of the developed plan.
The Head of Government thanked the
representatives of the U.S. mission for their efforts and thorough work in
making recommendations regarding the reform of the customs service of Ukraine.
"On behalf of the Government I want to thank You for Your assistance and
this work", he said.
In turn, Ambassador Extraordinary and
Plenipotentiary of the United States to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitchsaid:
"In the end we hope to see a capable, effective customs service of
Ukraine, that can stand firm to protect the national economy and national
security of Ukraine, that is capable to contribute to the development of trade
and prevent corruption. This will lead to a more stable, secure and
economically prosperous country. These are the goals that we all share, and the
United States will work with you in order to turn these goals into real
achievements."
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