Mykola Azarov briefly
touched upon the questions raised in speeches at the Cabinet of Ministers’
sessions yesterday. At first, he tried to destroy the myth about the new budget
and claimed that Budget 2007 is more social vis-à-vis Budget 2006, as it
envisages increase in all social payments.
First Vice Prime
Minister Mykola Azarov also informed that in the new budget the amount of
regional budgets alone was raised by 2.1 bln UAH, in particular, for medicine
plus 543 mlnUAH, for food products – 520 mln UAH. After the last approval, 4.3
bln UAH was added, assistance to the families with children was increased by
5.3 bln UAH, as Mykola Azarov stressed.
At the same time, First
Vice Prime Minister complained that the officials were trying to fight
disproportion created in 2005-2006. The thoughts exist, that our dynamics of
GDP was the best among the rest countries of CIS but 5% with a tail is not a
perfect result comparing to 2005, especially if to take into account the
quality of its increase and its structure, Mykola Azarov was quoted as saying.
Considering the amount
of investments, the orator recalled period 2003-2004 when direct foreign
investments totaled 2.3 bln UAH. In reality, the country faces decrease of
investments into the basic capital at the expense of own resources of our
enterprises, he informed.
According to First Vice
Prime Minister Mykola Azarov, the low level of inflation is explained as owing
to great volume of foodstuffs, but the primary question here is to resume
market of our products we have lost for now.
He also informed the
audience about the lack of 640 mln UAH for child birth assistance, plus 750 mln
UAH to finance servicemen pensions and 2 bln UAH as subsidies for city budgets
on tariffs increase.
“Nobody means to throw
stones at our predecessors, we only make unbiased, serious analysis affording
to reach clear and proper decisions,” emphasized First Vice Prime Minister
Mykola Azarov.
Touching upon the issue
of tariffs, the official said that realization of gas extracted in Ukraine is
focused only for the Ukrainian people and that, facing such a difficult
situation, we shouldn’t afford “UkrNafta” to sell gas abroad. Answering to
Poltava governor Mr. Asadchev, Mykola Azarov opined,” Tariffs cannot be a bit
uplifted, it’s anti-economic category. Tariffs should be well-grounded, which
the Government is trying to do now.”
