• Українською
  • Statement by Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal at the Government meeting
    Communications Department of the Secretariat of the CMU, posted 16 February 2024 15:10

    Distinguished colleagues, fellow Ukrainians, good afternoon.

    Today we are to approve the Government Action Plan for 2024.

    This is one of the core documents to guide the work of the Cabinet of Ministers and central executive authorities.

    The Government Action Plan is about how to build Ukraine stronger, how to reinforce our army, ensure the resilience of the economy, bring victory closer and continue the recovery.

    It's also about responsibility, because each point has specific executives and timeframes.

    The Government Action Plan contains almost 450 objectives. These are draft laws, programmes and resolutions.

    These are also our European integration plans, the instructions given by the President of Ukraine, and our commitments to international partners.

    These are policy changes and the modernisation of our country.

    The first priority remains unchanged - defence capability and security for our citizens as well. This is the Ukrainian Shield programme. 

    We are allocating all internal resources to strengthen our defence. More weapons and equipment. More drones. More missiles. More shells. Equipping the defence lines.

    Among the important challenges is the localisation of production and repair of weapons and equipment. The creation of a special regime for defence companies, benefits and state guarantees.

    We will also rely on the private sector, new technologies and solutions.

    Humanitarian demining. We will increase the number of units and the number of pyrotechnics of the State Emergency Service by at least 200 people.

    We are creating a market for humanitarian demining. We will compensate for the costs of demining agricultural land.

    This year, Ukraine is to produce its first domestic demining vehicles. The number of operators should increase by at least 10%.

    Cooperation with NATO. Here, systemic changes and the implementation of NATO standards are primarily important. In all areas: from procurement to governance.

    Public safety. We are improving it at all levels. We continue to build shelters. In 120 communities, we will have security specialists in the educational environment. The system of emergency assistance to the population will work throughout Ukraine.

    Number two priority is Ukraine's European integration. 

    We have paved a long way. We start negotiations on joining the EU. We have received a four-year programme worth EUR 50 billion.

    In the first half of this year, we will form a Ukrainian team for accession negotiations. We are preparing a national programme for the adaptation of Ukrainian legislation to EU acquis.

    We are working to extend the 'economic' and 'transport' visa-free regimes. We are preparing the conditions for signing 'industrial' and 'roaming' visa-free regimes with the EU.

    In addition, a project of joint border checkpoints with European neighbours is being developed.


    We are striving to bring the time when the Ukrainian flag will be in Brussels on a par with all other flags of EU member states.

    The third priority is to rebuild what has been destroyed. 

    Yesterday, together with the World Bank, we presented the third report on recovery needs. The new figure is USD 486 billion.

    Ukraine needs USD 15 billion for the rapid recovery.

    We are working with our partners. We are expanding the work of the Multi-Agency Donor Cooridnation Platform.

    Work is ongoing on the confiscation and use of frozen russian assets for the benefit of Ukraine and its reconstruction.

    We continue the eVidnovlennia programme. All three components of the eVidnovlennia Programme should be operational.

    Recovery envisages the modernisation of energy, critical, transport and social infrastructure. We will start a project to build a European railway from Chop to Uzhhorod.

    The fourth priority is a new veterans' policy.

    We identified strategic points last year. Rehabilitation, digital services, work, education, housing, reform of the military medical commission.

    This year, we plan to create a Unified State Register of Veterans so that each of our Heroes can enjoy all the benefits and support tools.

    More than 10,000 veterans' assistants are to start working across the country soon. This is one of the key elements of the system of transition from military service to civilian life.

    Also this year, the National Military Memorial Cemetery will be built in Kyiv region. It will be a place where Ukrainians can bury their fallen heroes and honour their memory.

    The fifth priority is the education for the successful country.

    Payments to Ukrainian educators will be increased by 21% this year.

    We earmark UAH 2.5 billion for the construction of shelters. Educational security services will start working in four hundred educational institutions.

    We allocate UAH 1.5 billion for the development of the New Ukrainian School.

    We are upgrading vocational education. We plan to launch 80 training and practical centres to train specialists to be in demand in the labour market and have up-to-date sectoral knowledge.

    A large-scale reform of higher education will take place this year. We are completely changing our approach. This also applies to the specialities in which the state will pay for studies. This also applies to tuition fees. We will launch state grants.

    Its goal is for 60% of students to receive various types of state support.

    The sixth priority is a reform of the social sphere. Social Transition.

    This term reflects the essence of the planned changes, as we are moving from the model of dependence of the citizen on the State to the formation of a person's capacity.

    Much attention will be paid to the formation of registers. The State will have a detailed vision of who receives what money in order to distribute the available funds as fairly as possible.

    We will also stimulate the development of the social services market. We introduce a principle "money follows the person" in the social sector. In other words, we finance services to people, not just social security institutions.

    In March, we plan to index pensions.

    Overall, social expenditures of the state budget will amount to UAH 470 billion, which is UAH 25 billion more than last year.

    The seventh priority is the sustainable economy.

    There are two main tasks. The first is to ensure macro-financial stability and balance the budget. The second is to provide incentives for economic recovery, i.e. business support programmes.

    Every week we are working with our partners to secure USD 37 billion of external financing to cover the state deficit.

    Moreover, we continue to fulfil its obligations under the IMF programme. Together with our partners and the World Bank, we have formed a "reform matrix" which includes all priority reforms agreed with our partners.

    We are preparing the launch of the Made in Ukraine Fund to support domestic producers.

    We are continuing our successful programmes to support small and medium-sized businesses. Under the eRobota programme, we plan to issue at least 12,000 non-refundable microgrants for the creation and development of new businesses.

    For the first time, the budget contains UAH 1 billion to expand the network of industrial parks.

    We continue the advancement towards reducing the role of the State in the economy through privatisation, corporatisation and deregulation.

    The eighth priority is the building of an effective digital State.

    Digitalisation remains a key cross-cutting reform for all sectors.

    For example, in education, this year we will launch a revolutionary product called Mriya, an educational application that will combine a wide range of opportunities for children.

    We expect at least 150 new residents in Diia.City.

    We trigger the change within our institutions. A modern human resource management system in government agencies (HRMIS) should be launched in 65% of ministries and departments.

    Also, this year, it is planned to create a kind of analogue of Diia for civil servants. This will speed up the work and improve its quality and transparency.

    Apart from that, we prolong to develop an anti-corruption infrastructure. In particular, we intend to strengthen the institutional independence of the NABU.

    We will continue the corporatisation reform. We plan to sell at least 300 objects within the framework of small-scale privatisation. We are also planning to resume 'great privatisation'.

    Our anti-corruption strategy is not just about fighting corruption, but about eliminating the opportunities for its existence.

    The ninth priority is energy independence.

    The key reform in this area is the implementation of European rules and full integration with Europe. This concerns both the unification of markets and an increase in physical capacities for exporting and importing electricity.

    Increase in Ukrainian gas production. We are constantly working on this. This year we want to attract more private investors by signing production sharing agreements.

    We will start design work for the construction of two new power units at the Khmelnytsky Nuclear Power Plant.

    We will develop smart grids, continue decentralisation of the energy system, invest in energy efficiency and the Green Deal of Ukraine.

    The tenth priority is a modern affordable healthcare.

    We prolong the healthcare reform.

    Rehabilitation and psychological assistance are new emphases. We plan to establish at least 30 mental health centres in cluster hospitals.

    We will launch reconstruction and modernisation projects in at least 100 of our hospitals.

    Healthcare spending will total UAH 239 billion, which is UAH 31 billion more than last year.

    Among other priorities are as follows:

    Rule of law and sanctions policy. The first task here is to bring russia to justice. The second is to increase the effectiveness of sanctions and to recover the assets of sanctioned persons for the state. 

    Regional development and decentralisation. 

    Science and innovation. 

    Consolidation of Ukrainian society. 

    Environmental protection. 

    We set ambitious goals for all the priorities. Each minister is personally responsible for their fulfilment.

    ***

    Dear Ukrainians,

    A full-scale war against russia has been going on for almost 2 years. During this time, we have achieved a lot. We have survived. We undergo transformations.

    Each point of the Government's Action Plan for 2024 is a step towards bringing victory closer. About how to build a strong, successful, European country.

    We are working for this as a united team.

    Thank you for your attention. Glory to Ukraine!

    Statement by Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal at the Government meeting Statement by Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal at the Government meeting Statement by Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal at the Government meeting Statement by Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal at the Government meeting Statement by Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal at the Government meeting