The new Cabinet of Ministers took office in December and, broadcast on live television on March 12, they presented the results of their first 100 days of work.
“This government together with parliament’s coalition created one team. This team is doing everything we can to stabilize the economy, finance the army and fight for our future,” Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk said. “We are conducting complicated reforms which are receiving not the best perception among Ukrainians at this point. But I’m asking all to understand that without today’s reforms we won’t have tomorrow.“
Highlights:
Finance: More than Hr 24 billion, twice as much as in 2014, was set aside to subsidize disadvantaged consumers after household energy tariffs are raised. In 2015, up to four million families will receive subsidies while in 2014 only 1 million got them, Finance Minister Natalie Jaresko said. Some Hr 3.4 billion will be allocated to help internally displaced residents and Hr 300 million for renovation of war-torn Donbas region. The package of amendments to $20 billion budget for 2015 and austerity measures pushed by the government unlocked $17.5 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund with $10 billion coming in 2015.
Economy: “In the first place we started reorganization of the ministry, so that when my tenure is over, this ministry will no longer exist,” Economy Minister Aivaras Abromavicius said. This year the staff of the ministry will be halved. In 100 days two laws and two resolutions on deregulation initiated by the ministry were approved cancelling a number of licenses and permits for businesses.
Justice: Ukraine filed three lawsuits against Russia in the European Court for Human Rights following its illegal annexation of Crimea and the war instigated and financed by Russia in eastern Ukraine. Some 4,500 pieces of evidence on violations of human rights by Russia in Ukraine have been collected, Justice Minister Pavlo Petrenko said. Implementation of the lustration law already resulted in 400 firings within the ministries, while some 4,000 officials are currently undergoing checks, according to Petrenko.
Defense: State defense spending was increased to 5.3 percent of gross domestic product or some Hr 90 billion in 2015 while the army will be increased to 250,000 servicemen. The ministry is currently making inventory of its land, together with the lawmakers working on reform of health care for defense sector and overseeing mobilization, Defense Minister Stepan Poltorak said.
Energy: Ukraine increased gas imports from the European Union to more than 50 percent or more than five billion of cubic meters since last year. In the last three months only it saved the nation some $200,000, Energy Minister Volodymyr Demchyshyn said. Over the same period of time some 1,3 billion of euro in investment was attracted to the sector, according to him.
Agriculture: Ukraine had record grain harvest or some 63.8 million tons of grain despite losing some 1.5 million tons amid Russia’s war against Ukraine. Deregulation, meanwhile, is expected to boost the industry by Hr 5 billion in revenue in 2015, Agriculture Minister Oleksiy Pavlenko said. Meanwhile, Big Four audit companies are doing audits in 30 state agriculture enterprises on a pro bono basis.
Kyiv Post staff writer Anastasia Forina can be reached at [email protected]
