Volodymyr Groysman: The philosophy of Budget-2017 is that Ukraine must stop being mere supplier of raw materials for other countries, must develop its economy and invest produced benefits in the quality of lives of citizens
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As a basis
of the draft 2017 Budget it was laid the philosophy that Ukraine must stop
being provider of raw materials for other countries, its economy must develop,
produce competitive goods and contribute to improving the quality of lives of
Ukrainian citizens. Prime Minister of Ukraine Volodymyr
Groysman said during consideration of the draft Law
on the State budget of Ukraine for 2017 in the first reading at the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on
Thursday.
"I
want us to cease being mere supplier of raw materials for the economies of
other countries, it is vital to ensure production of national product that will
be competitive and will provide Ukrainians with decent jobs. All these
constitute the philosophy of this Budget", explained Volodymyr
Groysman.
The Head of
Government stressed that for decades Ukraine had been stagnant. According to
him, the reason is that at the proper time there weren’t implemented necessary
reforms, there weren’t built systems providing an opportunity for people to
receive decent pensions, decent wages, there weren’t created conditions for
investment in the economy, opportunities for the development of communities.
Ukraine demonstrated decay along numerous showings.
As a
result, the country was transformed into a mere supplier of raw materials for
the neighboring country and was not ready for the challenges, which it
subsequently faced, and temporarily lost part of its territories and
traditional markets, he said.
"Today
we have a chance – this chance is that we must develop the national economy,
while the benefits the national economy produces permanently invest in the
quality of lives of Ukrainian citizens", he stressed.
The Prime
Minister reminded that the Government had timely submitted to Parliament a
draft Budget.
The draft
Budget is fair, well balanced, real, and contains a number of important
priorities, in particular:
- Fund the national security and defense. In this
regard, the Prime Minister said that he agreed with the necessity to improve
control over the use of these resources and urged the MPs to ensure
effectiveness and openness of this process;
- Preserve a system of financial
decentralization. Volodymyr Groysman
noted that there hadn’t been decentralization back in 2006-2013. The central
government shamelessly tried to usurp power. Instead, in the last year local
budgets grew by UAH 34 billion;
- Prolong large-scale reforms in the road sector.
The Government envisaged allocation of a twofold resource in the construction
of Ukrainian roads;
- Prolong energy efficiency. The Energy
Efficiency Fund can raise from UAH 3.5 to 4 billion.
Separately, the sum worth $ 2 billion has been invested in a variety of
programs in energy efficiency that is currently used, plus at the stage of
disbursement - UAH 50 billion. Using the resource of the State Regional
Development Fund, this sum can reach UAH 60 billion, noted Volodymyr
Groysman;
- Reform of the education area. It is envisaged a
30% increase of teachers" wages;
- Improve social standards by another 10% in
addition to a 10% increase planned from December 1;
- Budget resource to ensure 100% provision of
citizens with medicines, and raise salaries for doctors by 20%; and other
priorities.
"I
have a good announcement: this is just the beginning", said the Head of
Government.
"It"s
not Groysman’s Budget for 2017, it is the Budget of
our great European country", stressed the Prime Minister.
