Arseniy Yatsenyuk: I will protect each member of our Government. Fuss is aimed at the redistribution of assets and the assumption of power and it discredits the Government

"All the fuss that has taken place in the past year aimed to discredit the Government and particular members of the Cabinet of Ministers, which are supported by me and our faction, is about the only thing – the redistribution of assets and the assumption of power," said Prime Minister of Ukraine Arseniy Yatsenyuk at a Government meeting on Wednesday, February 3.

The Prime Minister reminded that after the return to the Constitution of a parliamentary-presidential republic the Cabinet of Ministers is formed by a coalition which, as a result of the parliamentary elections of 2014, consisted of five pro-European factions. He stressed: "At that time a coalition agreement was inked and the Government that was formed by the coalition from members of all five political parties, embarked on the implementation of this agreement and the Action Programme for the Government, which had been endorsed and supported by members of the Ukrainian Parliament".

"Perhaps when the coalition agreement was signed and when the programme for the Government approved, not all MPs were really aware of those difficult, unpopular, but correct steps that should be made by the entire Ukrainian political class, which should be vote for, which should be supported and of crucial importance for Ukraine", he urged.

The Head of Government noted that throughout last two decades, "there were a lot of Prime Ministers, Ministers, as well as MPs": "I hope aftermath, following democratic elections, this process will continue. This is what democracy means. But democracy is based, first of all, on political liability. Political responsibility for an uttered word, signed document, for the promises made to the people of Ukraine during the election campaign, and for the commitment to fulfill these promises."

"If you're a statemonger, who now are rather numerous in Ukrainian politics and, unfortunately, even in the ranks of the Ukrainian coalition, then you are trying to escape responsibility, as certain factions of the coalition do, who are allegedly protect interests of the coalition, but in fact they are worse than the opposition. As they are afraid to lose popularity, not realizing that policy and public activities is the marathon. And any difficult step made today will definitely yield results tomorrow or the next day. These are the results we are trying to achieve and we are working for", stressed Arseniy Yatsenyuk.

When the coalition agreement was inked, the Head of the Government noted, everyone supported the need for implementation difficult reforms, maintaining the cooperation with the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, the introduction of market-based tariffs, the need for privatization, elimination of any political influence on the activities of state-owned companies and the Government in general. But, in fact, it’s easier to talk than to act".

"The Government assumed full responsibility for all the unpopular steps that have never been made in 20 years. And it's not just the assessment of members of the Cabinet of Ministers. This means the value of those who help today Ukraine - our Western partners. This means the contribution of those who invest billions of dollars to Ukraine to make it a successful state, and who are ready to prolong keeping stable the exchange rate and reforms in the country. But they are ready to do it only if the entire Ukrainian political class continue to advance, instead of playing cheap populist politics, and be responsible to the tasks the country is facing", stressed Arseniy Yatsenyuk.

After the formation of the Government by the parliamentary coalition, stressed the Prime Minister, he personally put the signature under the surname of each Minister, who had been appointed by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.

"In order to change the country, it is necessary to have a vision. We transformed our vision into the Action Programme for the Government, and we implement it", he said.

Arseniy Yatsenyuk accentuated that there was constant pressure on particular Ministers and the Government in general: "There are heard a lot of statements from Ukrainian politicians and within walls of the Ukrainian Parliament, for example, regarding the fight against corruption. However, those who are trying to eradicate corruption, then come to the members of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine to solve their problems, to appoint someone somewhere, to fire someone".

"It's a dirty political reality I speak out against as Prime Minister and we fight against. Each of us deserves his/her post. The team that took offices in the new Ukrainian Government, is not just a political coalition team. This is the Government of a new Ukraine. Yes, we make mistakes, but we act, we advance further," he said.

"As Prime Minister I will protect, as I used to, each member of our Government. Everyone now faces a lot of problems. But we are strong and we’ll continue to fight", said Arseniy Yatsenyuk.

He highlighted that certain political pressure had made several Ministers to write a resignation letter. The Prime Minister reminded that the resignation of members of the Government is approved by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.

"Faction the People’s Front will take a decision on each particular Minister, considering results of their work. I want to emphasize that everyone who has been working for this Government in the last 14 months was doing everything, and sometimes even more than he/she could do," he noted.

The Head of Government stressed that he appreciates the position of those who, under political pressure, were forced to write the resignation letter: "But I am convinced that we have overcome too much. And amid recent developments the resignation means escape from the battlefield. But, wit is just time to continue our fight".

 “The forces that want things to be “all right again” - in secrecy divide state-owned companies and in the same old way in secrecy appoint new Ministers who will be loyal not to the country but to political forces they only applaud it. They will say that they have succeeded to continue to control the Government, flow of funds, state-owned companies. Their goal is that policy of Ukraine will be the old policy, which led to the Maidan", he stressed.

"My position is as follows. We will continue to deal and to work", he said.

"If anyone of those MPs or factions which are represented in Parliament is unsure, you have constitutional right to collect 150 votes and in the Verkhovna Rada to put the resolution of no-confidence in the Cabinet, find the majority and take full responsibility. And as the Prime Minister and the members of our team we will respect the democratic decision of Parliament," the Head of Government stressed.

Those who think so, Arseniy Yatsenyuk stressed, "should realize their responsibility and the consequences of those actions": "they may have other programs, but I didn't hear them. They may have better approaches and better people, but I didn't see them. And maybe it's just a fight for power and flow of funds. And I declare it now and confirm it".

"All this fuss that takes place in the past year to discredit the Government and individual members of the Cabinet of Ministers, which are supported by me and our faction, focused only on one thing – the redistribution of flows and to seizure of power", Arseniy Yatsenyuk said.

The Prime Minister stressed that the Government will do its work: "We will fulfill the Program of the Cabinet of Ministers, we will carry out reforms. We will defend members of our team".

"We will demand investigations on any facts of abuse, corruption, political pressure in order to implement corruption and we will address to the National anti-corruption Bureau and all anti-corruption bodies that have to investigate and prosecute all those responsible", he stressed.

"Realizing our responsibility for the fate of the country, for the future of our state, for changes in the country and international authority of Ukraine, we - despite all the difficulties, despite all the criticism and campaigns that we have against the Government and the right course of reforms in the country, will struggle and we’ll win, as we have proved it in the last 24 months", Arseniy Yatsenyuk stressed.

Arseniy Yatsenyuk noted that the Government submitted to the Parliament its Annual Report on the implementation of the Coalition Agreement and the Program of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine.

He noted that since 1996 the Government for the first time has directly submitted to the Parliament the Report on the implementation of the Program of the CMU: "the Government is ready once again report and inform members of the Ukrainian Parliament".

"The Government works and eagerly awaits the date when it will present the Report of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. Dear deputies, we are ready", the Head of Government said.