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President Viktor Yanukovych's address to Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine
Dear Members of Parliament,
Dear compatriots!
I have just been sworn in the President of Ukraine. What I felt as my hand rested upon the Holy Peresopnytsia Gospel?
It
were responsibility and humility. Before the people of Ukraine, which
in the free expression of will has given majority of votes for my
candidacy. Before the Almighty, by Whose will I now assume the office
of the President of Ukrainian state in such a difficult time for it.
The
election is over. The whole world recognized that it had been
democratic. The Ukrainian nation has said its word, and international
community has reaffirmed that Ukraine is a free state, where rights and
freedoms are the highest values and where the people's choice cannot be
questioned by any manifestations of someone's ill will.
This
last fact is particularly important given the young age of our
democracy and the illnesses of its development that are so hard to
avoid in the process of statehood establishment.
Nevertheless,
we have passed this important exam with dignity and now the page of
2010 presidential election has been turned. With this turn the next
period of our history begins.
The country is in a very difficult
situation: there is no current year's state budget, the foreign
borrowings are huge, there is poverty, the economy is in ruins, there
is corruption; this list of troubles that make up the Ukrainian reality
is far from complete.
Yet, I do believe that not only we can
save the state from the socio-economic collapse, but we can quickly put
it on the path of accelerated development. But for the confidence in
myself, in the strength of my team and the power of the Ukrainian
people, I would have never run for President's office.
I know what to do and how to do it.
First,
we must restore the system of effective governance. We must quickly
establish a competent executive power, that will immediately proceed to
management of the most affected sectors of the economy and social
sector. The primary objective here is reforming the system of
governance and, first of all, the Cabinet, its transformation into a
team of professionals, rather than "political waiters". In this regard,
I urge the Parliament to support my efforts to create a transparent,
effective and accountable system of governance able to cooperate
synchronously with the President.
I emphasize: this special role
in the reforming of public administration I see played by the
Parliament. It is a place for discussion. It is a place for a strong
opposition, which should control the actions of the Government and the
President. But first of all it is the place for strong and stable
parliamentary majority.
If we fail to overcome the existing
political disputes in the name of saving the state, if we fail to
cleanse our hearts from the poison of hatred generated by vanity and
selfishness, the state will be doomed to continue wandering in the
twilight of political and socio-economic labyrinth.
Mutual
rejection due to failure of ones and victory of the others is not only
destructive from the point of view of state interests, but is deeply
immoral. Because it is said in the Bible: "Make your peace with your
adversary quickly, while you are still on the road with him ...". Life
has confirmed this simple and obvious truth: people do not like being
shown bear fists. They tend to trust more to those, who offer their
hand as the sign of peace. So I appeal to all members of the Parliament
with a call to cooperation for the sake of Ukraine.
Such
cooperation will be crucial for the effective reform of government,
justice, amending the Constitution. Today the state is controlled by
the structure, "sewn" for the purposes of individual politicians. The
same can be said about justice, and many other important areas of
Ukrainian society. We should change the status quo. The structure of
all branches of power should serve achievement of a common goal - rapid
adoption of the necessary state laws and their rapid implementation.
And we should equally care for protection of legitimate interests of
ordinary people, ordinary citizens, middle class, intellectuals and
businessmen.
Effective cooperation between the President,
Parliament and Government will clear the way to rapid economic
progress. In turn, the resolution of this problem will not only
eliminate permanent poverty, but will also unite the country. People
tend to politicize certain issues of spirituality mostly when they are
in a state of permanent financial instability. In economically
developed countries the likelihood of internal conflict due to the
difference in cultural traditions of a region is ten times lower than
in the economically backward states.
Ukraine should choose the
right long-term development strategy. Many of our problems are caused
by the fact that instead of moving towards a post-industrial society of
XXI century, we chose the path of initial accumulation of capital, i.e.
the so-called "wild capitalism". Accordingly, we will be able to
successfully compete in today's world only if turn to development of
science intensive industries: modern technologies of production,
accumulation and use of scientific achievements.
I understand
that it is extremely difficult to catch up with industrially developed
countries. However, it is possible. To do this, Ukraine needs a
strategy of innovation progress, and our team has such a strategy. It
involves the development and state support of a small number of
priority areas, where we can take our rightful place in the
international distribution of labor. This means not strengthening the
role of state in the economy, but government's participation in
establishment of effective market mechanisms. I am convinced that
direct state influence on the economy, its manual control is the road
to nowhere.
The prerequisites for renewal of investors' and
international financial institutions' confidence in Ukraine are
ensuring political stability, fighting corruption, establishing clear
and, most importantly, permanent rules of relations between the state
and business. Providing the first two conditions will be particularly
difficult process, but I have enough political will to put them into
practice.
As President, I have a clear idea of what kind of
foreign policy corresponds the most with national interests of Ukraine
today. Being a bridge between East and West, an integral part of Europe
and former Soviet Union at the same time, Ukraine will choose foreign
policy that will allow our country to get the most out of development
of equal and mutually beneficial relations with Russia, the European
Union, the United States and other countries that influence development
of the situation in the world. In my opinion, the challenges faced by
international community dictate the need to unite as closer as
possible. Humanity, including Ukraine, needs the EU in a global
meaning. By the EU I mean Earth Unity as the force capable to guarantee
peaceful coexistence of various civilizations of the world along with
energy, environmental, food security. We are ready to participate in
such processes as a European non-aligned state. I intend to suggest
this concept to the Parliament to develop the foundations of foreign
policy of Ukraine, and I hope the highest legislative body would
support me.
Assuming the office of Ukrainian President, I want
to tell the people of Ukraine, that all my promises thereto will be
kept. We will repay the arrears of wages and pensions, what the current
Government never managed to do. Given the dire situation in public
finances, we will do this by reducing the costs of bureaucratic system.
We will start with ourselves. One of my first decrees as the President
of Ukraine will be the one to reduce spending on the Presidential
Secretariat and other structures that ensure its work.
Dear Members of Parliament!
Dear compatriots!
I
have always put deeds above words and in the new office will not
abandon this rule. Work and results for the benefit of my Motherland is
the motto, with which I take up my duties in the new responsible office.
I
look forward to your support, as well as the support of international
community that wishes to see our country strong and stable.
And God help us in this righteous aspiration!
Party of Regions press office
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