15 December 2015, 21:48
Dear compatriots!
Over the last year thanks to joint efforts of the President, Verkhovna Rada and the Government of Ukraine we managed to stop the offensive of the aggressor. Restored Armed Forces of Ukraine obtained proper financing from the state budget. The international coalition in support of Ukraine was established. The agreement on restructure of Ukraine's foreign debt was reached in complicated negotiations with our international partners. In the last quarter of 2015, Ukrainian economy showed the first signs of growth despite the war in the east and the loss of considerable part of the industrial potential. For the first time since 1991, Ukraine managed to get rid of the energy blackmail of Russia. The decentralization has become a real change in the system of power demanded by Euromaidan rally participants two years ago. The structural reform of the energy sector of the state is underway. Systemic reforms in the field of anticorruption policy have been launched.
We have passed a complicated path to implement all the requirements to abolish the visa regime with the EU member countries. Started January 1, 2016, Ukraine and the European Union will launch the deep and comprehensive free trade area. It became possible only thanks to the joint work of the President, Verkhovna Rada and the Government. The achievements of the Ukrainian authorities have been appreciated by our western partners, who continue to support the launched reforms.
Today it is especially important not to pull a punch as we still have to go through to the Ukrainian success. Such important reforms will become the formula of our victory over the aggressor and become the ground for the Ukraine's speediest membership of the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). We know that any protractions and delays in the state's reload will play into hands of the external enemy.
The high-priority objectives for the forthcoming weeks are:
- increase of combat effectiveness of the Armed Forces of Ukraine;
- adoption of amendments to the tax law offered by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and titled as urgent by the President of Ukraine;
- adoption of the Law of Ukraine "On State Budget of Ukraine for 2016;"
- decisions that will ensure further cooperation with the International Monetary Fund;
- support of steps undertaken by the Government and the National Bank of Ukraine to stabilize the economy and recover the financial and banking sectors;
- completion of introduction of amendments to the Constitution of Ukraine touching the decentralization;
- introduction of amendments to the Constitution of Ukraine touching the judicial reform.
To take the decisions critically important for Ukraine, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine will have to hold an extraordinary plenary meeting on Thursday, December 17.
Unity, mutual support and further joint work of the President, Verkhovna Rada and the Government are very important today as never before. The issue of dismissal of the Prime Minister is not on the agenda.
The interests of Ukraine should be put before anything else, political heat should be calmed down, political culture worth a European state should finally be shown.
We condemn the hysterical anti-authority, anti-Government and anti-state campaign organized by corrupt oligarchs.
Besides, we consider unacceptable any forms of confrontation inside of the parliamentary coalition.
We are united in seeing the strategy of our state's development. The coalitional agreement enshrines the plan of specific steps as to its implementation. The discussions have to touch optimal ways to embody this plan.
The unity we are showing today is a key to successful changes in the country.
This is what our society expects from us. This is of our greatest responsibility.
Glory to Ukraine!
Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada Volodymyr Groysman
President Petro Poroshenko
Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk