17:28 04.03.2020

Zelensky: Govt has achievements, but that's not enough for Ukrainians

2 min read
Zelensky: Govt has achievements, but that's not enough for Ukrainians

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has said that the government led by Oleksiy Honcharuk could boast of certain achievements, however it made a range of mistakes, which cannot satisfy Ukrainians.

"Everyone understands clearly: the main issue is activities of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine. Let us be objective – this government has achievements. These are disinflation, the NBU rates, the fight against shadow markets, in particular gambling business and illegal fuel stations, these are the launch of privatization of state enterprises, which had been robbed for all those years, these are loans for small and medium-sized businesses and the reduction of the role of the state in the economy," he said in the Verkhovna Rada on Wednesday.

In this context, he continued by saying: "But the truth is that that's not enough for Ukrainians today."

The head of state added that Honcharuk's government "was a government of new faces, but faces are not enough – we need new brains and new hearts."

"This government knows what to do, but knowing is not enough, doing is necessary," the president said.

The budget shortage is nearing UAH 16 billion in two months, and UAH 13 billion of them are "the expected revenues from the customs," Zelensky said.

"The business helplessly sends a message that smuggling has not gone anywhere," the president said.

Another issue of the government is the five-percent decline in the industry, he said. "It has continued for the fourth month in a row in all sectors. The government failed to present the instruments, which encourage domestic production and new production capacities," he said.

Utility payments are another setback in the work of Honcharuk's government, Zelensky said.

"Another sore point is the situation surrounding coal miners and the coal industry. First and foremost, it is about miners' salaries and sales of Ukrainian coal," Zelensky said.

The government has not resolved the issue of pensions, he said.

"We are not ashamed of this government, but we would like to be proud of it. In fact, this government did more than all the previous governments combined, but it is more likely a drawback of the previous governments, rather than an advantage of the incumbent one," the president said.

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