Anatolii Maksiuta: Government approved the forecast of economic and social development of Ukraine for 2015

"Yesterday at its meeting the Government tackled and approved the Forecast of economic and social development of Ukraine for 2015, and also for 2016 and 2017", - said the First Deputy Minister of Economic Development and Trade of Ukraine Anatolii Maksiuta during a briefing at the Government House on August 28.

According to him, the forecasts were designed along the two scenarios. In the first scenario the growth of real gross domestic product (GDP) in 2015 is forecast at 0.3%, the second - 2%. "We plan the ascend from really serious recession this year to the economic growth", - said Anatolii Maksiuta.

At this, he noted that economic growth in 2016, following the second scenario, might make up about 4.5%, and in 2017 being 6.5%, “allowing for Ukraine to return to the showings of the pre-crisis 2007”.

According to the First Deputy Minister of Economic Development and Trade, the key factors for the economic growth in 2015 should contain: completion of the active military conflict phase; settlement the issue of energy supplies; receiving substantial donor assistance; active policy of the NBU, aimed at supporting the economic growth; implementation of measures for diversification of export markets due to the problems that arose with the Eastern trading partner.

At the same time, Anatolii Maksiuta expressed hope that positive dynamics in the development of the global economy will improve export opportunities for Ukrainian producers the next year. "As for the internal assumptions, they will be different depending on the intensity of positive changes, reforms in Ukraine directed at improving the investment climate, making better conditions for doing business, curbing corruption, which will determine the flow of investments, assistance from abroad and, as the result, the development of the domestic market of Ukraine".

Moreover, Anatolii Maksiuta emphasized that purposeful external measures called to weaken Ukraine’s economy had led to 4.7% decline of GDP in the second quarter of 2014. And also complex systemic problems of previous years contributed to this fact. "A complex of problems have been increasing since 2012: GDP and industrial production slowed down, in fact, Ukraine has reached a recession stage. This year the two factors combined. On the one hand the deterioration of the external environment for domestic goods. On the other hand - military operations in the Eastern regions that have a negative impact on investment expectations, and the infrastructure as well. Entire production facilities are being destroyed in the East!" - informed the First Deputy.