Opening statement of First Vice Prime of Ukraine Serhiy Arbuzov during Government's meeting on February 5, 2014
I welcome
Members of the Cabinet of Ministers, mass media, all present!
First of all I’ll note
results of negotiations:
Due to the efforts of
the President and the Verkhovna Rada the laws that have caused controversy in
the community have been canceled.
There are no confrontations
on the streets. There are peaceful protests without any restriction from the
side of the power.
In general, the degree
of conflict has been reducing and the executive power has to support the
process of stabilization.
The Government works
to reduce the negative impact of the political situation on the economy.
Unfortunately, we could not completely avoid such effects.
There is the threat of
failure by local authorities of their functions. The protestors have not released
all administrative buildings yet and the local authorities are not able to fulfill
their obligations in normal operational mode. The process continues.
The local budgets have
not been adopted in many regions. Throughout the country, more than 40% of
local budgets have been approved, but in many regions their level of approval varies
from 2 to 10%. Among those that have delay are the regions that are covered by
rallies: Lviv, Ternopil, Ivano-Frankivsk and
Khmelnitsk regions.
To resolve this issue,
you have to, first of all, unblock administrative buildings. Then the government
authorities in the region will be able to perform its duties properly.
In order to ensure the
normal budget process at all levels, I authorize the Minister of Finance to
promote adoption of local budgets as soon as possible. This issue is under my personal
control.
Every extra day of
confrontations and unwillingness to make compromise weakens our country, first
of all economically. So, the international rating agencies due to political
instability have downgraded the credit ratings of
Political instability is
pressing on the cash foreign exchange market. There is tension, despite the
lack of economic justification for it. Yesterday, the National Bank has
published the balance of payments of the past year. Its balance is positive and
amounts to $ 2 billion. Recall, the balance was "minus" $ 4 billion
in 2012.
As you can see, there
is no the fundamental economic reasons for concern.
So I urge all, once
again, to resolve the conflict as soon as possible. Remember, in the end -
events affect the budget of each family.
Last week the
However, it has been taken
effective measures that allowed avoiding victims to respond to the situation.
Teaching situation was suspended in schools, kindergartens and universities in
several regions to prevent sickness rate of children.
Thus, the authorities
and utilities worked smoothly. Doctors for their part held good work and
prevented epidemics of seasonal diseases.
Despite this, I pay
attention the heads of all regions: everyone is personally responsible for
mistakes, and even more - inaction. As the questions relating
to the safety of human life.
I authorize the State
Emergency Service of Ukraine and the State Agency of Automobile Roads of
Also last week was
marked by two accidents on the railway.
Yesterday's accident
in
I order Vice Prime
Minister Olexandr Vilkul to control the liquidation of consequences of the
accident on the rail road that, which occurred as a result of explosions of gas
tanks. To make every effort to clarify the circumstances of
the tragedy in
It is very difficult
to predict the changes of the weather for the next month – let’s remember last
year's March frosts and snowstorms. Today we must be prepared for spring field
work. This is the key of food security of our country.
I hope that weather
conditions this winter to contribute to good yield. So, the important is the
issue of provision of farmers with equipment, fuels and lubricants and
fertilizers.
Reducing the gas price
should positively impact on the fertilizer prices. I authorize the Minister of
Agrarian Policy and Food Mykola Prysyazhnyuk at the next meeting to prepare a
report on preparations for the spring sowing campaign.
The inauguration of
the Winter Olympics in
The first
representatives of the Olympic delegation of
We have done
everything that our athletes could well prepare and properly represent
The government was careful
of the financial incentives to our Olympians - winners would have adequate
compensation: they receive more than UAH 1 million for the "gold", for
the "silver" - about UAH 680 thousand, for the "bronze" -
about UAH 470 thousand. Rewards were increased after the Olympics in
Me, like the Ukrainians,
wish our team victories and medals. Indeed we should to prove that we are a
great nation by sporting achievements, but not hot news in the world media.
Concerning the agenda
There are many topical
questions on the Government’s consideration.
First of all we will consider
a few important bills and decrees of the Presidents that can solve social
issues.
Primarily they relate
to social security of workers and protection of consumers.
We will consider the
draft law to meet the cash requirements of employees in the event of insolvency
of employers and the appointment of state grants to the eminent education
figure.
We have to discuss a
draft resolution that regulates the functioning of the system of protection of
copyright and related rights in
And we have to consider
changes to the list of objects that can be given in concession. This will allow
more efficiently use the public property and provide additional budget revenues.
We also, consider
bills relating to: the use of nuclear energy issues, cooperation in air
traffic.
I wish all the
participants of the meeting a productive work.
Let’s turn to the
discussion of the agenda.