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Parliamentarian Yaroslav Sukhy: The Government has sufficient experience, professionalism, and what is most important patriotism, to do its work
09.11.2006, 16:53
Parliamentarian Yaroslav Sukhy commented the performance of the new Cabinet of Ministers during its first one hundred days in office.
"Let me start by referring to what happened before Yanukovych's Government, namely Kryvy Rih Steel Plant. Everyone remembers all the pomp and profuse promises of benefits to the Ukrainian people from apportioning 25 billion hryvnias received from an Indian tycoon for privatization of this giant steel plant. Where are these billions now? Did it alleviate people's lives? Did it attract more investors?
Smart and experienced investors still continue racking their brains whether to invest in Ukraine, or to steer clear of Ukraine, for fear that Ukrainians may back out of a deal, flushing investors' money down the drain. 2005-2006 convincingly demonstrated to us that investors chose the latter.
An overt anti-Russian stance of the "orange" also cost us dear. As a result, instead of increasing trade turnover with Russia, they led us down the path of war, which particularly affected an energy issue, leaving many Ukrainians anguishing over instigation of discord between our indisputably close nations, as hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians and Russians have close family ties. It only exacerbated the problems of the Ukrainian economy, passed on to Viktor Yanukovych's Government.
As for 100 days in office, I will follow others in pointing out the main thing: Gas. The incumbent Cabinet of Ministers signed a deal guaranteeing supplies of over 50 billion cubic meters of natural gas at the lowest price in Europe of $130. Only a very prejudiced mind, like the opposition, can stubbornly refuse to acknowledge the fact that it was Russia's concession and a favor to Ukraine, which is so necessary for Ukraine now.
Partnership between the Cabinet and companies, operating in the oil and fuel market, has become a standing practice. Agricultural workers and car owners really appreciate a drop in the petrol and diesel prices. In connection with that, now the Government seeks to push down commodity prices. As transportation cost dropped, the prices of food and consumer goods should go down as well.
The state of the housing and public utilities is another painful subject for the Ukrainians, perpetually suffering from the ruptures of the dilapidated water mains, leaky roofs, and decrepit electricity network. The last year's plight of Alchevsk highlighted a precarious state of the public utilities system which is a daily reality facing people in the country. Nonetheless, the present Cabinet has successfully prepared the country for the heating season.
Also I would like to mention what is important for the plane motor manufacturers in Zaporizhzhia. Yanukovych's Government is conducting successful talks with Russia about expanding industrial cooperation, including cooperation in the aircraft industry. There are promising prospects for the joint manufacture of the plane "AN-148" with a Russian plant based in the Russian city of Voronezh. Were there such opportunities available even a year ago?
I will not elaborate on all accomplishments of Yanukovych's Government, built on the ruins left by the orange. The Prime Minister wrote about it at length in the article "First One Hundred Steps". I will mention only one popularly important promise which has been fulfilled by the Government.
From December 1, the minimum monthly wage in Ukraine will rise to 400 hryvnias. The draft Budget for 2007 envisages its further incremental increase to 450 hryvnias.
For the first time, the statutory subsistence minimum will outpace inflation. The number of unemployed will go down. In September, as compared with July, 10,000 more people obtained jobs, including newly created jobs. And it will continue even better along these lines, because Yanukovych and his team perfectly understand that only hard work, for which people receive wages (not in envelopes, but legally, with paid taxes) can give a boost to Ukraine. Then the country will receive a guaranteed base for paying pensions and other social benefits.
Finally, I would like to respond to the opposition's clamor about higher rates for gas and energy supplies. Dear ladies and gentlemen, who took the helm after the "maidan", it was you who raised rates, and that happened before the appointment of Yanukovych's Cabinet, while Yanukovych and his ministers only softened a blow to the population by lowering a gas price for the people, who do not use gas for heating purposes, from 414 to 339 hryvnias for one thousand cubic meters.
In short, what the new Government's one hundred days in office meant for Ukraine? On one hand, it was endless verbiage and stunts of the former "leaders of the nation", who were removed from power by the people. On the other hand, these one hundred days saw hard, arduous work of the coalition Government, which inherited innumerable problems in the economy and social sphere.
Now the main thing is not to obstruct its work, because doing so would only harm Ukraine. And the Cabinet of Ministers has sufficient experience, professionalism, and what is most important patriotism, to do its work. It is such a contrast with their predecessors' indulgence in publicity stunts for TV purposes, such as collective visits to a skating rink, theatre and exhibitions, which had no importance whatsoever for the people's lives, correct?", parliamentarian Sykhy said. | |
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