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Today the Russian troops are still staying along the
eastern border of our country, constantly growing their presence. In turn the
Armed Forces of Ukraine are fully-mission capable. All Ukrainian military trainings
have commenced. An issue to set up the National Guard of Ukraine on the basis
of the internal forces is being elaborated.
I am convinced in this hard period the army will
fulfill the duty of protecting Ukraine, despite the fact that throughout
recent four years there have been conducted systematic subversive actions in
the direction of the national defense and security of Ukraine. Within nearest
time the Prosecutor’s Office departments must trigger investigations and law
everyone who was related to embezzlement of military property in the Defense
Ministry structures.
I reiterate: nowadays the Armed Forces of Ukraine are
in the difficult situation, however, the Cabinet of Ministers has taken a complex
of measures aimed at improvement of financing the needs of Ukrainian army. Thus,
owing to the operational actions of the Government the military are supplied
with necessary volumes of fuel and lubricant materials, issues of supplying
of military uniforms and gear are to be solved. Besides, there have been
allotted UAH 125 million as lump sum benefit to militarymen
of Crimea and the Government will spare no effort to ensure timely payments
of the mentioned allowance.
Nowadays the world has seen the aggressive policy of
our neighbor who has assured us for years in their good intentions; moreover,
they have acted as a guarantor of our security and a strategic partner. The global
community has condemned the attempts of external interference into the internal
affairs of Ukraine and unanimously spoken out for preserving the territorial
integrity and sovereignty of our country.
The United States of America and the European Union member
countries, during a series of UN meetings and the OSCE Extraordinary meeting,
condemned the actions of the Russian Federation in the Autonomous Republic of
Crimea, put forward the conditions for the leaders of Russia to immediately
cease the aggression against Ukraine and emphasized on the need to sit around
the negotiation table.
I want to consider separately an issue of the
so-called referendum in Crimea slated for March 16. I emphasize we don’t
acknowledge the legitimacy of the so-called government on the territory of
the Crimean Autonomy and in no way support any actions or decisions of it. A criminal
group is acting on the peninsula, they have ceased
power in an unconstitutional way and are backed by the Russian military. Hence
there can’t be held a legitimate referendum in Crimea as declaration of will
at gunpoint of the automated weapon will be acknowledged by neither Ukraine
nor the world in whole. Therefrom, no results of
this referendum will have any legal effect.
The Government of Ukraine has repeatedly demonstrated
readiness to start the national political dialog to tackle the situation in
Crimea and emphasized the dialog must be civilized and public.
We should not forget that the new Ukrainian
Government has assumed enormous responsibility. We are obliged to ensure
stable operation of all state institutions. The top priority tasks include:
- overcoming
the crisis as a result of activity of the previous government;
- operational and unbiased investigation of massacres
of citizens that happened in recent months in Kyiv and other regions;
- establishing relevant order and peace within the
country.
We are experiencing hard times but we will be
capable to overcome them with dignity, if we are united, consolidated and
wise. The citizens of Ukraine are waiting for the changes, so we must
demonstrate the results of activity carried out by the Government even today,
as we are in peculiar environment, under intense supervision of Maidan.
I address the Minister of Economic Development and
Trade. Pavlo Mykhaylovych,
you should stir up submission to the Cabinet of Ministers of the draft Action
Plan “100 days – 100 steps of the Government” in order to ensure implementation
of the Program of activity of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine.
Dear colleagues, these days of March the whole world
is celebrating the 200-ieth anniversary of birth of Taras
Hryhorovych Shevchenko. The figure
of the Great Kobzar, his art have instilled the
ideas of kindness, freedom and peace through generations, unite the countries
and the world. Various educational and art institutions, streets all around
the whole – from Ukraine to Australia – have been named after him with pride.
It is a real consolidating symbol for our society.
Official commemorating events were held during the
weekend. I want to emphasize we should not confine ourselves to the protocol
events only. As the whole 2014 is the year devoted to Shevchenko. We must convey
Shevchenko’s ideas of peace and harmony to the whole world. I ask the Culture
Minister Nishchuk Yevhen Mykolayovych and all the concerned ministries to take
under personal control implementation of the action plan of celebration the 200-ieth
anniversary of Taras Shevchenko in 2014. I am
convinced these measures will not only facilitate commemorating the memory of
the great son of Ukrainian nation but will positively affect patriotic
upbringing of children and youth.
Our today’s agenda for
the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, except extremely important cadre issues
include a series of acts and resolutions directed to ensuring life support of
our country. In particular, it concerns approval of a number of decisions
directed to rational use of budget funds under conditions of the economic
slowdown and exhausted state budget.
The Government has repeatedly announced it triggers
purposeful struggle against corruption and a principally new redaction of the
Law of Ukraine On the state procurement, containing the transparent mechanism
of carrying it, is to be considered by the members of the Cabinet of
Ministers of Ukraine. Approval of the law will make impossible corruption
schemes in this sphere and ensure rational use of the budget funds.
Among others there is an issue of optimization of the
work of the Government. Notably, it is suggested to make a series of changes into
the Regulations of the Cabinet of Ministers that are called to stir up the scheduled
preparation procedures for the Government’s acts. Governmental committees
dealing with preliminary consideration and approval of all draft acts and
called to ensure coordination of positions of the Cabinet of Ministers
members while approval decisions during the meeting will be resumed.
Respected colleagues,
thank you for attention. Let’s start our work.
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