The topmost task which should
be addressed today is to build a high quality system to overcome poverty in the
country. This was stated by Prime Minister of Ukraine Volodymyr Groysman on
air of the ICTV channel on Monday.
"The essential challenge we
are facing is the fight against poverty. This is the topmost objective that we
must tackle - to build an efficient system that will provide an opportunity to
overcome poverty in our country", said Volodymyr Groysman.
"People must live longer,
people must live better, and the most important for us is to overcome poverty.
But it is impossible to overcome extreme poverty by words. It is possible to do
with concrete actions. Such concrete decisions are planned in the budget. And
this is just the beginning," he noted.
Referring to 2017 Budget, the
Head of Government stressed that the provided in it solutions are aimed to
improve the quality of people’s lives.
“This Budget is a budget with
an emphasis on a person”, said Volodymyr Groysman. “The core of this
budget makes up specific decisions that will affect the quality of life of each
Ukrainian citizen.”
Namely, the budget stipulates
for a twofold increase of the minimum wage from UAH 1,600 to 3,200. Moreover,
there has been planned to raise salaries for Ukrainian teachers by 50% as
compared to 2016 and for doctors – by 30%.
In 2016, the Government has
enhanced social standards by 16%. This figure is viewed insufficient, but it
was real, honest, and correspond to real possibilities of the economy
of the State.
According to him, dozens years
of inefficient governance by populists in the country have led millions of
citizens to impoverishment. Volodymyr Groysman stressed that
Ukraine has the potential to trigger development of its economy, and to improve
people’s lives as a result of this development.
The Prime Minister noted that
the Government had managed to stabilize the situation in 2016. In 2017, the
Government has planned in budget a 3% economic growth, which "will clearly
affect the budget of each Ukrainian citizen".
"Our task is to work and
implement the budget, and to enable people feel that the situation is beginning
to change and at last we have managed to achieve normal life our country",
said the Head of Government.
In this context, Volodymyr Groysman noted
that it is also crucial to reform the pension system in the country that is yet
not capable of protecting pensioners.
"The principal objective
for our Government and the Parliament, as we need political support, is a
systemic retrofitting of the pension system, which is to be accompanied by the
raising of retirement benefit. This is destined to be a system that will, instead
of producing deficit in the Pension Fund, reduce it and turn the system into
self-sufficient, to ensure those people who are middle-aged and working now
could retire with dignity. This is my desire. I prefer us to unite for this
purpose – for the sake of Ukrainian citizens", he stressed.
The Prime Minister also
highlighted that he would fight against hidden unemployment. According to him,
through non-payment contributions to the Pension Fund by employers, the latter
condemn employees to the poverty after retirement.
"Demonstrating tolerance
in this issue, we support the impoverishment of Ukrainian citizens. This is
unacceptable," he urged.
Apart from that, the
Government is facing the challenge to upgrade an employment system, added Volodymyr Groysman.
In his words, "currently this system produces unemployment, although on
the contrary it should produce opportunities for a person to find a job, get at
least the minimum wage and could feel he lives a decent life".
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