PM: Parliament, Government and coalition to be reshuffled, unless Government and Parliament work together to save the country

Ukraine is to see the reformation of the Parliament, the Government and the coalition, unless the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine have a common vision and work together to save the country, Ukraine’s PM Arseniy Yatsenyuk said at the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on July 4.

On this day, the Parliament has resumed the consideration at first reading of the draft laws "On amendments to some Ukrainian laws on the reform of the Ukrainian gas transportation system management" (No. 4116A) and the "On the special period in the fuel and energy complex" (No. 4117A) that the Parliament did not support the day before. PM Arseniy Yatsenyuk has appealed to the MPs: "In order to win any war, we must unite, we must be united. Otherwise, Ukrainian people will never forgive us this. The country is on the brink. And in order to save the country, we must have a political and civic responsibility to the 45-million-state."

Arseniy Yatsenyuk has stressed that the energy market is in a "critical situation" today: "This is a part of the war unleashed by Russia against Ukraine. Apart from officers of the GRU (Russian Main Intelligence Directorate), heavy artillery, financing sent by Russia to the territory of Ukraine, apart from financial pressure exercised on all economic entities as to Ukraine, apart from economic pressure, when Russia is trying to turn all possible and impossible screws to prevent Ukraine from selling its goods and, eventually, to survive - Russia has also unleashed with us a gas war".

"As the Prime Minister, I would like to declare clearly: the Government shall not succumb to any blackmail. We either work or do not work. The Parliament, the Government and the coalition are to be reshuffled, unless the Government and Parliament have a common vision and work together to save the country out of this extremely difficult situation", the Prime Minister emphasized.

The Prime Minister has stressed that over the past four months the Parliament supported only one Cabinet’s bill as a basis - on overcoming the financial crisis, which enabled to receive the first tranche from the International Monetary Fund. "Further tranches will also need appropriate legislation", he added.

"Unfortunately, two dozen other laws submitted by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine - from the law on changing the quality of the judicial system, which included lustration of judges, establishing a mechanism to replace the judiciary, draft laws on changing the tax rates to increase royalties for energy products as the most profitable - have not been supported by the Parliament," emphasized Arseniy Yatsenyuk.

At the same time, the Parliament voted a number of laws that are not provided with budget funding. These, according to him, are "classic populist laws that cannot be implemented because there is no money in the country": "For 23 years have already been passed bills in amount of UAH 300 bln so as to please the voters. As a result, the country became a bankrupt. "

According to him, only over the last four months the Parliament has passed eight laws that require expenditures from the State Budget of Ukraine in the amount of UAH 11.5 bln up to 2016. The state budget doesn’t possess such funds. Apart from that, there are approved and expected to be signed additional six laws that provide budget expenditures amounting up to UAH 34 bln till 2016: "This is a show of unlimited populism and lie to people. There is no such money."

"As the Head of the Ukrainian Government, I believe that it’s very hard for the Government and Parliament to work in such a format. And even harder for Ukraine and Ukrainians," said Arseniy Yatsenyuk.

Arseniy Yatsenyuk has reminded that two governmental bills on the state’s energy security have already been reported to the Parliament, on the third attempt they were included in the agenda, government committees considered them two times, all the leaders of factions and groups confirmed the need for their approval at a coalition’s meeting. To reach a compromise, the Government has agreed that they should be voted only at first reading. But despite this, on July 3, they "were not voted."

According to the Prime Minister, a bill on the reform of the Ukrainian gas transportation system management is a key one: "It makes it possible to start the procedure together with our European and American counterparts of upgrading and operating the Ukrainian gas transportation system. It needs urgent investment to download maximally the Ukrainian GTS and to receive the income. Ukraine, which will own a controlling stake in the carrier-company, needs to earn more together with European, American companies and to prevent the implementation of the South Stream bypassing Ukraine."

"The bill clearly states that the pipeline itself is fully owned by the State, as well as storage facilities," he added.

According to Arseniy Yatsenyuk, adoption of this law will open the way for Ukraine to build a new energy system, "in which Ukraine will become a player ": "Otherwise, in a few years, Russia will bypass Ukraine via other gas pipelines and the Ukrainian pipe will be able to pump only air."

The Parliament supported the decision to adopt as a basis both bills on the energy security of Ukraine.

Arseniy Yatsenyuk has called it a little, but a step forward. He has noted that after listening to all suggestions, opinions and remarks, he would not like to go into quarrels and squabbles: "But I would like to make a public announcement to coalition members. I propose starting the process of consultations on the reformatting and strengthening of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine."