In 2017 we
can make a breakthrough and provide economic boost, thereby enabling the
country to reinvest in improving the quality of life of the citizens, believes
Prime Minister of Ukraine Volodymyr Groysman. He announced in an interview with
Espreso.tv.
"I
have a very clear feeling that we are capable of achieving a breakthrough in
2017, significant economic growth. It is important for me to have a response
from this economic growth. Numbers 1-2-3% doesn't interest me, they are
important in work, but I wish people feel: when people feel that the situation
is changing, that there exists not just today, but we have the current situation
that is understood and a predictable situation for the future, which is the
most important", explained the Prime Minister.
He noted
that achievement of last year had been that the situation stabilized and in the
second half of year the economy was demonstrating a growing trend. For the upcoming
year, the State Budget contains macroeconomic forecast - a 3% growth.
"These
are just initial outcomes, because it is not rather tangible for people. There
are two topmost things: to earn funds in the budget of the country from the
national economy development and then to redistribute these honestly", he
said.
Volodymyr
Groysman noted that fair allocation of money from the State budget to satisfy
needs of the citizens gives an opportunity to take measures aimed to improve
social standards.
So, he reminded
that starting August 1 of last year the Government had introduced an electronic
public procurement system ProZorro to carry out all
public procurement procedures, thereby enabling to economize UAH 8 billion. Apart
from that, with the start of the reform of the customs service it [customs
service – ed.] has demonstrated a monthly overfulfillment
of the plan of revenues from customs payments by UAH 1.5-2-2.5 billion.
"These
are resources that we can direct to economic development and give people, reduce
the Pension Fund’s deficit", cited examples the Head of Government.
Economic
growth in the country will encourage in particular the creation of more jobs
and production of competitive Ukrainian goods, explained Volodymyr Groysman.
"Development
of the economy is the foundation basing on which we can build a variety of
activities that will afford us to pull people out of poverty in which they have
been chronically stuck for decades", said the Prime Minister.
"It’s
enough for people to suffer hardships in such a beautiful country as Ukraine,
to suffer as a result of standards of living are quite
poor," he said.
In this
context, the Prime Minister noted that the decision about a twofold raising of the minimum wage, an increase of salaries of
Ukrainian teachers, doctors, SES employees are necessary measures and aimed to
return all the attention of the Government to the person, each particular Ukrainian
citizen."
"So,
the person working should get a normal wage. We are just beginning this process,"
assured the Prime Minister.