Opening statement by Prime Minister of Ukraine Arsenii Yatseniuk during the Government's session on February 27, 2014

We are having the first session of the Government. We have approved the Action Plan with you. Now I appeal every minister to immediately assume control over the situation in every ministry you are responsible for.

First of all, I want to address the Minister of Foreign Affairs. We must hold negotiations with our European, Russian and American partners. I would ask You to make respective telephone calls.

Secondly, I address the Finance Minister. Olexandr Vitaliyovych, the situation is critical. I ask you to organize the work of the ministry and give a real picture of the state of matters in economy and budget so that we could have clear understanding what is the budget hole and how we will get out of the most critical situation in the history of Ukraine over recent 20 years.

Moreover, I address the Minister of Internal Affairs A. Avakov. Arsen Borysovych, I am asking you to restore order on the streets.

I also address Vitalii Yarema. Mister First Vice Prime Minister, you are answerable for the security and defence block, so I am asking you to immediately gather all security subdivisions in order to establish peace in Ukraine, to establish law and order in Ukraine and to spare no effort in order to ensure the law enforcement bodies to investigate the crimes committed towards peaceful citizens and bring to justice everyone guilty.

Volodymyr Borysovych, I am also asking you to immediately gather a meeting in the ministry. We must realize now what is happening in the regions. You are responsible for the regional policy. Please, contact leaders of every region, maintain contacts with mayors of towns in order to calm the situation, explain that the Government has set to performing the duties. Moreover, it is significant to understand how much funds haven’t been paid to the local budgets from the Single Treasury account.

I have said already and will repeat again that we can promise the improvement neither today nor tomorrow. Everything we can do is to stabilize the situation in the country using extremely unpopular measures. There was aired from the rostrum of the Parliament that there won’t be taken any populist decisions.

Due to the fact that the state treasury is empty, abolition of the pension reform cannot be included into today’s agenda, as well as other decisions, as it will be the lie and we won’t lie to the people. We must ensure tomorrow the payment of those pensions determined by the current legislation. Liudmyla Leontiyivna, I am asking you to give the picture of social payments, ensure payments maximally. As I was informed there exist a month’s delays in payments of salaries and pensions. We are burdened with all this and we are obliged to bear our cross.

Minister of Energy, Mister Yurii Prodan, I am addressing you as, the first – we wish to have the concrete sum of debt to the Russian Federation, moreover, I need the balance of gas we possess in the storages. In addition, I am asking to provide me with the information concerning the amount of pumping the natural gas to the Russian Federation through Ukrainian gas transportation system. Just immediately take under control the energy sector, electricity and natural gas supplies.

Dear colleagues, I am addressing the Defense Minister. Mister Minister, overall situation in the country is very difficult in Ukraine. I am asking you to properly supervise the ministry controlled by you. We will solve all the conflicts by exceptionally political ways, I wish to emphasize that once again, by exceptionally political ways. And anyone who would be trying to embroil us in confrontations will fail.

Now we are also engaged in solving the problems with the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, I wish to address once again the Crimea residents: we will ensure stability, none will divide Ukraine. Despite that we have the differences in language, religion and other things, we are united in the opinion that we must have the indivisible country.

I address all the ministers to immediately hold meetings in the ministries with your labour teams. We have a task with you directed to implementation of the Action Plan of the Government – concrete steps should be made by every minister aimed at stabilization of the situation within the country. Tomorrow we will have a working meeting with you and everyone will inform the members of the Cabinet of Ministers about the top priority tasks that should be set in front of a respective ministry.

Moreover, we will adopt a series of decisions regarding the activity of the Cabinet of Ministers. The cadre propositions are for you to submit.

I should single out, I think, it is out of question, there should not be state cars, state privileges, spending of budget funds for maintenance of ministers.    

Olexandr Vitaliyovych, I am asking you to prepare immediately the draft resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine on introducing the most stringent systems of control over the budget expenses. The state budget won’t pay for different kinds of privileges and whims, including to the local officials. The strictest economizing of the budget funds!

I have wound up my speech, dear colleagues ministers, respected members of the Cabinet of Ministers.