"Our plan is primarily based on political stability and political compromises. The Government and the faction of the party, which I chair, are fully ready to this. We deem it expedient to make a decision with the President regarding the future of the country, Government’s structure as well as action plan that provides approval of the fundamental principles of public policy," emphasized Prime Minister of Ukraine Arseniy Yatsenyuk at a meeting with representatives of the diplomatic corps accredited in Ukraine on Friday, 12 February.

Arseniy Yatsenyuk reminded that the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine approved the fundamental principles of Ukrainian public policy for next year: "We believe that any crisis presents an opportunity. And we want to use these opportunities in order to make the Ukrainian Parliament, President and Government continue following up the path of effective reforms, European integration and achieving the results expected by the Ukrainian people."

He has underlined that these principles, declared by the Government, involve zero tolerance for corruption, transparency of the Ukrainian authorities and equitable distribution of power and non-interference of one branch into the activity of another, as well as "the continuation of reforms not in words but in deeds."

He has pointed out the need for the Parliament, Government and President "to be rapid in taking essential steps." Among them - the adoption of law on privatization and start of "a large-scale and most important, transparent privatization", the adoption of laws necessary for the reformation of the State Fiscal Service and Ukrainian customs, "to make this service efficient and without corruption."

Among the necessary measures the Prime Minister also called the adoption of legislation for achieving a visa-free regime for Ukraine and the full implementation of the EU-Ukraine Agreement on free trade area.

He emphasized the need for "full transparency in the management of state-owned companies." Arseniy Yatsenyuk reminded that, according to the Government's decision, the management of 50 key Ukrainian state-owned companies would be elected in a contest to be held by the independent Nominations Committee. The Prime Minister noted that Naftogaz Ukrainy had already succeeded to do this.

The reform program of the Government also envisages further standardization of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in line with the NATO standards: "Reform of the Armed Forces is the key one, it needs the support of the Parliament and led by the President of the country."

Arseniy Yatsenyuk stressed the need to complete the judicial reform: "The business climate primarily hinges on the introduction of standards of a state based on the rule of law. The first vote on the (relevant) amendments to the Constitution took place last plenary week. And the Government's position is that we should urgently pass a new law of Ukraine on the status of judges and the judicial system, to undertake the fair and transparent re-certification of judges, which means not just reappointment but real re-certification of every judge."

"Those judges who do not meet the high criteria of the rule of law must leave the judiciary, and give a chance to new Ukrainian honest judges to be elected on their posts on a competitive basis," added the Prime Minister.

He called reform of the civil service extremely important. The approved law on civil service requires increased funding of public service, underlined Arseniy Yatsenyuk, stressing the importance of the support of Western partners in this issue.

The Prime Minister added that the Ukrainian reform program is backed by the IMF, and stressed the importance of cooperation with the IMF in the current year: "We have demonstrated over the past 24 months that this Government, this Coalition and President are implementing obligations undertaken by Ukraine on its path of reform."

"Now we just need faith - and this faith must be provided by Ukrainian political class - that further commitments and steps of reforms needed for the country to be adopted by the Government, be supported by the Parliament and approved by the President of the State," emphasized Arseniy Yatsenyuk.

"We, as Government, will not stop halfway [on this road of reforms]. We will continue on this path. Now it’s up to the Ukrainian political class as well as Ukrainian Parliament to shape the country’s future; whether the state will develop or stop," said the Prime Minister.