PM: Ukraine faces three challenges - war, corruption and energy security

The President and the Government are unanimous on the path towards reforms, Prime Minister of Ukraine Arseniy Yatsenyuk stated at a meeting of President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko and the Prime Minister with representatives of companies that are members of the European Business Association and the American Chamber of Commerce on Thursday, October 2.

"Together with the President of Ukraine we want to show our unity and send a clear signal that the President along with the Government is committed to the path of reforms," Arseniy Yatsenyuk underlined.

He has noted that Ukraine needs full-scale changes. The Prime Minister has recalled that a few days ago the President of Ukraine presented the strategy for Ukraine - "with a clear purpose and clear goals", and the Government of Ukraine approved the Action Plan "Recovery for Ukraine" - what we need to undertake.

The Prime Minister has reminded that the Cabinet of Ministers resumed the cooperation with the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.

According to him, the Government was forced to adopt a number of "difficult, unpopular, but extremely important reforms": "We have adopted a number of austerity packages, reformed the civil service, we’ve reduced costs for it. We along with the President have submitted to the Parliament a number of anti-corruption bills and believe that joint efforts will help adopt tax reform and the Budget Code," underlined Arseniy Yatsenyuk, stressing the need to reduce the number of taxes and broadening the tax base.

According to Arseniy Yatsenyuk, Ukraine faces several key challenges, the first is a war: "The war has significantly affected Ukraine. It is difficult to attract foreign investors while there are Russian tanks on the Ukrainian land."

The second challenge, he underlined, is corruption: "The President along with the Government and the Chairman of the Parliament convene an extraordinary session of the Parliament. We are seeking to adopt an anti-corruption package. Perhaps in the first reading, because we understand that it is difficult for some corrupt MPs to fight corruption. That is why we need early parliamentary elections and a new parliament, which is committed to adopt reforms and implement them."

However, challenges, the Prime Minister stressed, "it's always a chance":"The chance to change the country, improve the investment climate, fight corruption and make Ukraine one of the key European countries."

The third challenge is energy one. Arseniy Yatsenyuk has recalled that the Ukrainian side has lodged a lawsuit against Russian Gazprom, at the same time Ukraine is "seeking an interim solution." The Prime Minister has informed that on the one hand, NJSC Naftogaz Ukrainy is waiting for an interim on a lawsuit from the Stockholm Arbitration Court, on the other hand, Brussels today is hosting another round of gas talks at the level of the EU, Ukraine and Russia: "Thus, we have two options: either an interim solution on the lawsuit or an interim agreement in Brussels. In any case, we are waiting for the final solution of the court."

"Energy is a challenge, but it is also opportunities: to make changes, to develop energy policy, invest in the Ukrainian energy sector and thus to reduce energy dependence on Russia and increase our energy independence and energy efficiency," Arseniy Yatsenyuk underlined.