Poroshenko hopes Odesa region will be attractive to investors thanks to Saakashvili
President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko has expressed his full support for Head of Odesa Regional State Administration Mikheil Saakashvili and his team in their fight against oligarchs and bureaucracy to create a better investment climate in the region.
"I wish for Odesa region to become a brand new, pilot project, an investment harbor with a climate which is attractive for investors, for it to make a hole in the ranks of oligarchs and bureaucracy, via which a flow of investments will come to Ukraine," he said in a TV linkup with the participants of the Odesa Financial Forum which opened on Thursday.
Poroshenko said that time has proven that the decision to invite Mikheil Saakashvili to work in president's team was correct despite it being sharply criticized initially.
"There is no such strength which might resist the vigorous reformatory energy of Saakashvili and in all his beginnings he has my full support as the president of Ukraine and as a citizen," he said.
Poroshenko said he is impressed with what has been achieved in Odesa region over such a short period of time, but he added that most of the work remains ahead.
He stressed that he will continue to fight corruption and will ensure that the backbone of the state will be new, fair, and incorruptible law enforcement officers.
"Notorious corruption scandals and notorious arrests, which occur almost every day, prove the presence of the political will, my political will when combating corruption, and this is an indicator of that we really launched this process," Poroshenko said.
He noted that the public demands that tough and unavoidable punishments must be handed down to bribe-takers and related amendments to the Constitution will be drafted to change the justice system.
Poroshenko also said that more steps will be taken to improve investment climate, in particular, by cutting taxed to ensure macroeconomic stability.
He also said that one of the main priorities for his government remains restoring peace in Ukraine.