Ukrainian
Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk says that the goals of the Cabinet's economic
program in 2016 include the strengthening of the banking system, transparent
privatization and the reform of management at state-owned enterprises.
"The
implementation of the free trade agreement with the EU forms the basis of our
program," Yatsenyuk said during the "10 Minutes with the Prime
Minister" weekly program broadcast by major TV channels on Sunday evening.
In his words,
the government's action plan consists of two main sections. "The first one
is designed to ensure economic growth, including the creation of new jobs and
poverty reduction; the other is to restore a social contract, or I would call
it "to serve the Ukrainian people and restore trust in the
government."
According to
Yatsenyuk, the government has provided a few basic steps for economic growth –
they include the strengthening of the banking system and the resumption of
lending at affordable rates; efficient and transparent privatization by inviting a
broad circle of investors; and the reform of state-owned enterprises.
The
government's plan also includes a new industrial policy, the appointment of new
effective managers at the 50 largest state-owned companies, the opening of new
markets for Ukrainian exports, the signing of free trade area agreements with
Canada, Turkey and Israel, Yatsenyuk said. He also said the government planned
to open at least four trade missions to promote Ukrainian exporters onto new
markets and expand the geography of business forums.
The government
also proposes maximizing the efficiency of capital investment. "Seventy
percent of it will be channeled into the renovation of roads, 30% will be spent
on the completion of facilities that are in the final phase of
construction," he added.
Yatsenyuk is
sure that effective fiscal, monetary and economic policy can stop price hikes.
"To do
this, Ukraine must continue reforms as part of cooperation with the
International Monetary Fund and other international financial institutions. We
need to ensure an effective fiscal policy, switch to e-procurement by all
government agencies and pay targeted social benefits, make use a twofold
decrease in the payroll tax, which was introduced by the government, and bring
wages out of the shadows, reform the State Fiscal Service, fight corruption at
customs by engaging Western advisers to the customs service," he said.
He also
pointed to the need to complete the reform in the energy sector. "We have
lived through the winter without buying a single cubic meter of gas from
Russia. We must ensure the profitability and independence of NJSC Naftogaz of Ukraine,
boost production of own energy resources and achieve the country's absolute
energy independence in the coming decade. And it's doable. Replacement of boilers,
insulation of houses, extension of subsidy programs and payment only for
high-quality housing and utilities are the main part of the country's energy
reform, " he said.
"As for
the fight against corruption, we need to appoint a new, independent Prosecutor
General of Ukraine, strengthen credibility and ensure effective work of the
National Agency for Recovery and Management of Assets, the National Bureau of
Investigation and the National Agency for Prevention of Corruption,"
he said.
The premier
also insisted that $1.5 billion, which had been stolen by former high-ranking
officials, should be seized and returned to the state after the government's
successful attempt to freeze the funds at the Ukrainian state-owned banks.
"These
funds will be spent on the country's defense sector, on an improvement in the
welfare of Ukrainian citizens," he added.
"This is
my program. This program should become our common program. These actions
require the support of the president, his faction and other real forces in the
Ukrainian parliament," Yatsenyuk said.
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