Ostap Semerak: Anti-corruption reforms is the main task

The current Government understands that anti-corruption reforms is the main task, stated Minister of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine Ostap Semerak in an interview to “Novoe vremya"(“New time").

According to him, the Government began to change work schedule, reducing the time allotted for the creation and adoption of an act from 193 to 45 days.

“In the first month of its work, the Cabinet reduced the cost allocated to the staff and its number by 10%. When we started working, the number of officials at the central and local levels was up to 250 thousand persons. It's more than the Ukrainian Army! We then simply closed our eyes and said, we should reduce the number by 10% - that means 25 thousand persons”, he said.

"We have also banned by the end of the year any checks, except in some cases. First, it will reduce costs in the budget. Secondly, it will facilitate business performance; and thirdly, it is the right signal to society that the Government stops being oppressive," added the Minister.

Also, according to O. Semerak, all heads of departments were instructed to reduce the Secretariat’s staff additionally up to 30%. "Now the Secretariat of the Cabinet includes a staff of 664. The main motive is to increase the efficiency of people’s work, and extra money I partially would like to focus on higher wages for skilled workers. In fact, now my employees work from early morning until eleven p.m. By the way, if you pass on the street Hrushevskoho at night then look at windows where the light is on- it will be the windows of the Prime Minister and some of the Ministers and usually our ones – the Secretariat, he said.

"Reducing officials, I have also created new units, which should bring new ideas into the work of the Cabinet. For example, we now have a department, which deals with the audit of public sector management and efficiency of the economy – state-owned companies. The state has its share in the statutes of more than 2 thousand companies - airport Boryspil, seaport in Mariupil, state concern Ukrspirt, Naftogaz Ukrainy. Previously, the Cabinet of Ministers annually approved financial plans of these companies. For all that, there was no one who would be engaged in the assessment of their effectiveness in the market not only for the next year, but over the past years. Now our new department is engaged in this," said Ostap Semerak.