OREANDA-NEWS. July 29, 2010. First of all, I want to say that today you can confidently assert that the state of the Single Treasury Account is finally stabilized. Balances in our account are enough to fund rhythmically, following the breakdown all costs of the state budget. Therefore, all the managers and recipients of budget funds can confidently organize work according to their plans, avoiding any disruption or rush jobs, or delays. Accordingly, the Government has the right to hold accountable on financial discipline, economical use of funds.

Harvesting continues. Traditionally, in this period the focus of the Government is the preservation of the collected, the quality of the grain, purchasing prices.

If excessive rainfall in early July affected the course of harvesting and the quality of the harvest, for today the weather is improved, and therefore the organization of work is the main factor in the successful completion of harvesting of early crops.

On July 27, 2010 more than 22 million tons of grain were harvested. We can congratulate the farmers of the Odessa and Nikolaev regions, who harvested over 2 million tons of grain. A number of areas have done more than one million tons of grain. Labour achievement in difficult weather conditions is the result of tireless work, skilful management of farmers.

The price situation in the grain market is favourable, and provides a cost-effective production of agricultural crops. However, the Agrarian Fund does not run yet at full power. Therefore, I ask the Minister of Agrarian Policy to intensify the work in each area, so that it is government procurement would create the price situation, and that, of course, the desired country stocks of food grains would be created - as in the centre so in the regions.

And first of all we need to take care of its quality.

I categorically demand to stop even talking about lowering the standards for food grains. This is a direct reference to you, Mr. Viktor Slauta, and you, Mr. Nikolai Prysyajnyuk. For State Standard it is the outright ban to take under consideration any application entailing quality of domestic products lowering – whatever it might be.

No compromises should be in what affects the quality of food for our people. There are no conversations on changing the standards. Then yesterday one channel has completed its report that it is not clear if the standards lowering is the closed topic or not. I explain to everybody once and forever – it is closed. Bread has always been and will be in Ukraine only of good quality. And those who try to "contrive" with bread, will be responsible by law, as they say, wide open.

The Government continues to undertake various activities to address the problem of salary arrears. Among the topics dealt with during the expanded meeting on unblocking the problem of salary arrears, we had debts of bankrupt enterprises. In some cases, designated arbitrage managers are not taking enough measures to make payments to employees. Today, the Government will consider the draft decision, which will increase the monitoring of such arbitration managers.

Ministries and departments have begun the implementation of the next stage of preparation for the autumn-winter period. I emphasize that this issue is under the permanent control of the Prime Minister. And, the First Vice-Prime Minister is obliged to keep that matter on a permanent control. Every week, we should receive reports from Ministry of Fuel and Energy, Ministry of Coal, Ministry of Housing and Utilities, Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Emergency Situations.

What are the main problems we have identified?

First - repayment of debts to pay for gas, electricity and hundred percent current payment. The fact that Teplocommunenergo is not paid 55% of consumed gas on previous tariffs is a measure of irresponsible attitude of the leaders of this problem.

I put the question clearly: the country will enter 2011 without debt. Thus I increases the level of responsibility and demand that the governors personally - the governors, not deputies, I underline that- were responsible for one hundred percent repayment of debts and the current payments.

Second - is the quality of Housing services. People rightly say that prices are rising, and the quality is decreasing. Therefore, 2,5 months left before the heating season, Ministry of Housing should mobilize all resources to replace the pipes in the way we would not warm the air, would not waste water, to repair the boiler, insulate houses, etc.

Except the mobilization of our own resources, it is necessary to help houses residents who can and want on their own to make some things for energy saving.

Third - I specifically noted the preparations of schools and kindergartens for winter. Ministry of Finance has financed this work for areas affected by disaster. For all the other regions managers I emphasize that this is their own concern. If you need help, you are welcome. No excuse will be accepted if on September 1 at least one school does not accept children repaired, with the entire roof, with intact heat supply.

I recall that during the meeting on preparation for the winter a very unfortunate incident had place, when I picked up one senior deputy chairman of SRA and asked him simple questions within its competence. The manager could not give any precise figure, tried to place empty assurances: "Mykola Yanovich, do not worry, everything will be fine". Yes, everything should be fine. Nevertheless, I warned the Head of the State Administration of incompetence of his senior deputy, and today in the staffing issue the Government will consider the responsibility of that official.

Dear Members of the Government, we will also consider a very important draft law "On ensuring the commercial accounting of natural gas."

In Ukraine, among 14 million consumers only 8 million are equipped with meters, i.e. about 60%. So, 2/5 of consumers pay for natural gas under the rules of consumption, regardless of the actual volumes. It costs people, on the one hand, more because the tariff for consumers without meters is bigger. On the other hand, people have absolutely no incentive to optimize the consumption of gas, save money. That is why, in particular, in Ukraine in per capita consumption of gas is three times more than in any other European country, even with the similar climatic conditions.

The bill envisages the establishment of gas meters in apartments and houses in which gas is used comprehensively, including heating, from October 1, 2011. I think that the energy sector reform, based on the principle of energy saving, will make suppliers, and consumers to use quicker the modern methods of accounting, control, and energy savings.

There a Government regulation will also be considered, which set clear rules of effective and rational use of funds received from the sale of quotas for greenhouse gases. They will focus on energy preservation measures, renewable energy, the use of new technologies for the production of heat and electricity, environmental protection, etc.

In fact, precisely those areas in which the previous government was to invest the funds according to agreements with Japan and Spain. But, like many other commitments, the environmental ones failed to be executed.

At today's meeting of the Government, we will consider the bills, resolutions, which define:
order of state registration of innovative projects and the State register procedure of innovative projects, objectives of the National IT development Program.

In addition, we will consider additional allocations for the amount of subventions to local budgets for payment of state social assistance to orphans and children deprived of parental care, financial security for parents-teachers.

Also today, we will consider the draft resolution, which establishes the selection rule for mining enterprises with a view to provide them with state support for technical re-equipment.

We also must accept a Government decision, which will attract the funds of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development to develop the energy infrastructure of our State: in particular the realisation of investment project for overhead power line "Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant - Kakhovka."