Interview with Prime Minister of Ukraine Yulia Tymoshenko for ICTV channel

- This week during the honorary meeting before parliamentarians of the Council of Europe You have made an almost sensational statement that Ukraine must be changed into a parliamentary republic.  Do You beard existence of president in Ukraine?

- I speak against chaos within the country, against diarchy, against every minister having at least three and sometimes more leaders giving absolutely multi-vector commands. I stand for the state to possess a clear power system and executive power to have one leader who can be inquired and set a task. There are actually two models such as a presidential form of government and a parliamentary form of government. They just can’ t be mixed in such a way that the country without a steering wheel and sails is moving practically in this space, losing its powers.

That’s why being aware that for today a parliamentary form of government takes priority within the world and the fact that today to reach the majority in the parliament proves possible exceptionally under the parliamentary form of government it is just the way we should make changes. Hence, I’m convinced that in the aftermath of Easter holidays our parliament would gather and vote in the first reading amendments to the Constitution needed for the country more than any other reform as no state in the chaos of governing can develop gradually, strategically and strengthen in geopolitical space of the world.   

- But the very issue – presidential team has another view and is preparing changes which envisage strengthening of president’s authority. Can these controversies lead to the ruining of the democratic coalition?

- Categorically no way. The democratic coalition will be integrated, whoever seeks to make provocations around democratic coalition irrespective of which camp these people belong to. The democratic coalition will be working solid and I wish to separate certain leaders and functionaries from the deputies acting in Our Ukraine – People’s Self-Defence. I’m convinced that we are a single team and we will advance further in synergy. And, by the way, I’m sure, the democratic coalition will conjointly vote for the amendments to the Constitution either.

- But the whole week opposition were airing that actually the Tymoshenko’s Government views favourable ruining of coalition as the Government wants to slam the door – to resign so as not to take responsibility for the series of problems the country faces.

- Through 17 years men politicians have destroyed our common home – our country, so if now to slam the door, the walls and the roof can fall either. So, being a responsible person I will never slam the door. I agree we have received as legacy a difficult economy which is absolutely destroyed and destabilized, everything which could be stolen had been stolen. But I’m well aware that my responsibility, no matter how hard it is, appears to pass this way. And none would get a free-will resignation from me as our team is strong and I feel strength within me to carry out real transformations within the state. 

- In other words You have recipes today, for instance, to overcome the crisis with prices – I cannot name it otherwise. Do You possess concrete recipes of curbing inflation?

- I just wish to reiterate what I have said before. We received the country with a record inflation last year and inflation calls, first of all, for a calm, professional, absolutely coordinated movement of all the powers. I gave a promise to the country that from January 1, that is over 5-6 months, the country would forget about inflation. And today I do all my best to achieve that. And the fact that today some hysterical pols and higher state leaders are constantly shouting “Inflation! Inflation!” I view as irresponsible and immoral as every shout of high officials about inflation leads to its worsening.

That’s why I’d like them to stop shaking the state in such a way, trying to humiliate the Government. I have always fulfilled everything I promised before the country. Over 5-6 months I will report on the inflation to disappear in the state.

- And can we touch upon one more election pledge – concerning transition of army to the professional basis. Which is the fate of this promise?

-   I have in my hands a draft law which we together with Olexandr Turchynov submitted in December of 2007 – it is when I was Prime Minister already but we remained deputies for some time. They are changes to the law which stipulate for cancellation of the draft and we have no way annulled our promises. Another matter is it isn’t the parliament but the largest destabilizing factor of development in our state. They haven’t adopted this law, they haven’t even put it into agenda and haven’t approved 70 more laws which the Cabinet of Ministers have forwarded in order to establish order within the state. Besides, they haven’t approved a package of draft laws submitted to the parliament and that’s why parliament poses as a brake of any sustainable development.

They jabber away during any talk-shows but instead of throwing the words around they would better gather and vote all Government draft laws, including the draft law in my hands – on cancellation of fixed service and shift to the contract army.

-   Are we ready for that economically?

-   Yes, we are ready economically, we are ready organizationally and there are no problems besides reluctance on the side of parliament to work – nothing more. And I can say you, unfortunately, today this rather unpleasant policy continues when all together men are trying to stop Prime Minister, men in politics. They seek to make so many obstacles making it hard to overcome, but I want to say that in my case they just waste the time.

Do You remember the classical literature, the Viy by Gogol, when coming to a certain place a hero circled himself with a chalk so that no evil forces could cross this circle. Every day, when coming to the Government I circle in mind such a chalk round so that no evil penetrated into the world of Government which really serves Ukraine. I consider we will advance in such a way further.

Someone annuls fair, transparent and such necessary for the state privatization. I can admit nothing will change from these empty orders – privatization within the state will carry out and only in the terms appointed by the Government because all these orders are just unlawful.

The issues of cease of fair, transparent privatization are the attempts to leave for the clans those titbits of Ukrainian economy free and without any conditions from labour teams. This is done absolutely to frustrate financing of Euro-2012, to frustrate return of savings – these are the reasons fair, transparent and non-corrupt privatization is ceased.

- But there sounds such a thought that privatization of certain objects is just a desire to hand over these objects to one’s own people.  What is your opinion?  

- Today for privatization of Odesa Portside Plant, for example, 20 companies with well-known all around the world names registered. And they today have assessed as highest preparation of the mentioned object for privatization. It will be an absolutely transparent auction where nothing could be forged. Besides, conditions for privatization have been set as those necessary for modernizing and reconstruction of this plant while trade unions of Odesa Portside Plant have determined the conditions which none could violate.

Actually, I would like in such a way privatization had been held in 10 recent years but, unfortunately, the whole industrial potential of Ukraine has just been plundered and destroyed. Now we are to set everything in its place.

- Can everything be set to its place today with regard to testing issue? It happened this topic has emerged the second urgent after the price issue?

- Yes. I absolutely dissatisfied how the country has prepared for the testing which connected to the fact that no examinations are held on completing of school, no examinations are held on entering higher educational establishments while testing only will appear graduating and entrance examinations. I can say I have gathered all the materials.

Viktor Yanukovych in 2004 launched this system with his resolution while being Prime Minister. Viktor Yushchenko has issued 2 orders in 2005 and 2008 to ensure the testing going.

But, actually, only our Government has analyzed the state of testing and I consider tomorrow we will conduct an extraordinary sitting of the Government to find out whether the country is capable today without violation of rights of pupils, future students, their families to hold this testing, whether they could qualitatively hold this testing and we will adopt a decision on Monday.

- That is, could we possibly refuse it this year?

- On Monday we will gather an extraordinary Government sitting, consider all the complaints from all over the country and come to a conclusion. I am not satisfied the previous power, preceding governments have prepared to holding the testing system. Preparation has been realized absolutely unqualified.

- Yulia Volodymyrivna, I’m listening to You and hear that the Government is filled with plans, meaning all the talks about new parliamentary elections in autumn? What is this?

- I consider that when the new Constitution is approved, which completely harmonizes and regulates the power in Ukraine in order to prevent that today the whole country, as well as all the countries surrounding us, observing such an uninterrupted talk-show in Ukraine when all the politicians demand to destroy each other and none is responsible for anything. I consider that constitution reform would put an end to such chaos and parliamentary form of government will at last establish order within the state. Like in Germany, there would be a chancellor and there would be an order. They have just a parliamentary form of government. At this, I emphasize that once again president remains as Germany also has a president and all-national elections of president bearing sufficiently moderate authority remain; like it is in Poland where there is a parliamentary form of government and president with very restricted authority is elected nation-wide.

And the fact that pre-term elections are to be held can not be excluded because when there is a new Constitution, undoubtedly, the people should empower with authority all the politicians. And once again I’d like to stress that only coming of our political force into parliament will give an opportunity to change Prosecutor’s Office and make it serve people, and State Property Fund, by the way, to appoint the one which the country needs and the chaos would cease. And in such a way we would write finis to all these awful events happening in the politics through recent years, at least ten.