The Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko is convinced that effective development of the national coal branch is a pledge of energy safety of Ukraine. She announced during the Round table dedicated to the development of coal industry.

“The future of Ukraine, future of its energy safety, our stability and our independence is in our ability to effectively develop the coal branch,” the Head of Government emphasized.

According to her, despite the global financial turmoil, the Government has not only rejected suggestions of certain experts to close down mines and shorten amounts of coal extraction but rendered significant financial support to the miners as “lives of 1 million people in Ukraine depend on operation of the coal branch”.

In particular, according to the Premier, under conditions of reduction of coal consumption at electric power plants and metallurgic enterprises the Gov’t has purchased additional 1.5 million tons of energy coal and created an additional state reserve in such a way. One more measure of the Government was to down the price for coke coal for the metallurgic industry, mines were transferred to subsidies at this. “As a result, we don’t have arrears of wages, this month we have managed to earmark significant funds for development of lavas and for the first month production output in metallurgic industry has been upped by 16%”.

The Head of Government also informed that by the end of year UAH 1.6 billion will be directed to support coal branch, in particular, these funds will be spend for putting in operation of lavas and technical re-equipment of shafts.  

“If the year 2009 has become a year of resistance to the crisis, the year 2010 will become the year which gives us a chance to further our successful movement forward, that implies increase in extraction of coal, modernization and reconstruction of thermoelectric power plants, it is also creating of all prerequisites for our coal branch to develop and thrive,” Yulia Tymoshenko emphasized.