Press-conference “Strategic demands to Ukrainian government”

Press-release

Press-conference “Strategic demands to Ukrainian government”

Participants of a movement “My Ukraine”: UCA “Successful Ukraine”, NGO “Center of local economic development”, NGO “Council on competitiveness of Ukraine”, UCA “Space for life!”, INGO “Ukrainian agency for institutional development”, NGO “Fair Odesa”, UCA “New formation”, UCA “Ukrainian strategy”, Institute of social researches

            Public movement “My Ukraine” was created on February, 27, 2009.  The goal of the movement lies in grouping of citizens around a national strategy “Ukraine — 2020” and creation of conditions for rapid harmonious development of Ukrainian society.  Within a month 9 nongovernmental organizations joined the movement. 

            Unlike dozens of other movements created in Ukraine throughout past months, our movement doesn’t have any political goals yet.  The main aim as of today is to make the public and political forces realize that unification of Ukrainian society with the goal of overcoming crisis and further stable development is possible on the basis of national strategy of country’s development “Ukraine —  2020”.    

            The first question usually addressed to the participants of the movement is: “Will adoption of the development strategy “Ukraine — 2020” solve the problems Ukraine faces?”.  Our answer is “NO”.  Ukraine’s got actually rather good strategies “Strategy of economic and social development of Ukraine “By means of European integration” for the period of 2004-2015” which was adopted in 2004, “Strategy of national safety” of 2007, and others.  But the problem which exists and will exist is the fulfillment of these and new strategies. 

            Ukraine needs a fundamentally different strategy.  

Firstly, a national strategy must be based on recognition of main reasons of unsuccessful development of Ukraine:

-       Ineffective system of state power and therefore absence of rule of law and order.  To our opinion, this problem will not be solved through replacement of staff of government bodies;

-       “Corruption rationalism” — is a way of life of many active citizens in Ukraine (politicians, state officials, businessmen).  Such a manner of life lets people choose the shortest (“the most rational”) way of accomplishing goals, which is a way of lies, treason, bribe and theft, although this way is unworthy from the viewpoint of morals and legislation in force.  Experience of the last years proved the fact that our society is uncompetitive if it lets people live in such a way;    

            Secondly, national strategy must include “recipes” of key structural reforms through realization of which, strategic aims of country’s development can be achieved.  Some examples of such “recipes” are: “one vertical of central executive power”, “open lists elections to councils of all levels”, “re-distribution of powers and budgets between the center and territorial communities in the ratio of 50 % to 50%”, “declaring income and expenses of parties, politicians, state officials, judges”, “stimulation of development of Ukraine’s goods and services manufacturers and inner market by means of introducing export tax on raw goods, with further usage of incomings from this tax with the purpose of providing acceptable crediting rates for goods and services manufacturers”, so on.  In case of adoption of such specific regulations of the strategy the majority of citizens will manage to understand the essence of the strategy and will get a chance to provide control over strategy’s fulfillment.  “Recipes” of structural reforms in a form of a public project “The principles of the country’s development strategy “Ukraine — 2020” will be handed over to Ukrainian government on May, 15, 2009.  Today we promulgate the project of this document.      

To our opinion, realization of a suggested approach to elaboration and adoption of the strategy will allow political forces and empowered institutions to move on from the stage of fighting among each other to the level of proposals of their own vision of country’s development strategy.  And final formation and self-identification of the Ukrainian society has to take place through competitive coordination of these visions and elaboration of a unitary national development strategy on the grounds of nationwide discussion.  And further steps as to realization of national development strategy must favor consolidation of nation in asserting its interests in globalizing competitive world.  This is the only way to achieve competitiveness of the State of Ukraine.         

Actively working throughout this month, movement participants prepared an Open appeal to Ukrainian government which includes five specific demands with a term of realization till July, 1, 2009.  One of them is connected with creation of permanent public advisory agencies attached to strategy-related government bodies (National Strategy Assembly) and competitiveness-related ones (Institute of competitiveness) on the basis of criteria selection and provide a possibility for effective public control over elaboration and realization of the strategy “Ukraine — 2020”. 

In case of fulfillment of these demands movement participants will organize monitoring of completion of demands of the Open appeal with the help of public advisory agencies related to strategy and competitiveness which will be created.          

If these demands aren’t fulfilled by July, 1, 2009, public movement will apply lawful public methods of pressing the government — initiating of a referendum, transferring to a new effective system of state power by means of convocation Constituent meeting (Constitution Assembly).  Participants of the movement will look into the possibilities of moving onto the actual solving of the task of building up a fair competitive Ukraine by political means.   

Representatives of civil society (public and expert organizations, branch associations, nonparliament political parties) and mass-media are invited to join the movement and participate in composing a public project “The principles of national strategy “Ukraine — 2020”.  On May, 15, 2009, movement participants plan to hand a coordinated version of the project over to the government. 

A more detailed information about the movement “My Ukraine” can be found on the Web-site of UCA “Successful Ukraine” www.uspih.org.ua in chapter “Public movement “My Ukraine” and on Web-sites of other participants of the movement. 

Contacts:

Tel/fax (044) 206-04-91;

E-mail: info@uspishnaukraina.com.ua,

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