OREANDA-NEWS. Today is the first meeting of the newly appointed Ukrainian government, which should be new not due to form but content.

Once again I would like to congratulate the new Ministers, those Ministers who received Ukrainian citizenship and will work for Ukraine. Thank you for your position as to your desire to receive not only Ukrainian citizenship, but also to learn the Ukrainian language. I hope that our Government will perform all for what we were elected, why we were appointed.

Now the Government faces key objectives. First of all, I would like to start with the key task - an action plan of the Cabinet of Ministers, which is called Government’s Action Program. We have agreed that the Government's Action Program to be prepared by the end of this week and represented in the Parliament.

A Government’s Action Program is not a set of words, but a list of specific goals and ways to achieve them. Each minister should determine three key priorities for 2015 and a plan to implement them.

Firstly, on the situation in the security sector that, of course, is difficult, in the fight for our independence basic financial and logistical resources should be focused on national security and defense.

In addition to external aggression, we have internal aggression. Internal aggression is corruption in the country. To overcome corruption, and here I highly rely on the Interior Ministry, as well as the appropriate Ministries, we need deregulation, reduction of both officials and the functions performed by these officials.

The third issue is to submit the package of economic and tax laws to the Parliament by the end of this year, the adoption of a new Budget Code, which should enable local authorities in addition to form their own revenue base.

Second, amendments to the Tax code, reduction of the taxes’ number, tax base’s expansion.

Third, it is the single social tax, namely the reduction of the single social tax and de-shadowing of wages-if we pay less taxes, then all show how much they earn and thus fill the budget.

Fourth, arising from the first three tasks, a law of Ukraine on the state budget, which will be tough and complex, because our task in 2015 is to survive, to form the basis for growth and economic stability in 2016.

I ask Finance Minister of Ukraine Nataliia [Yaresko - Ed.] to invite an IMF mission as we formed government and our foreign partners are ready for negotiations.

A separate set of issues - energy. Today I ask the Minister of Energy and Coal Industry to inform about the state of affairs at a separate press conference. I know that there was an accident at the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant. When it will be overcome? And measures undertaken to restore the normal power supply throughout the country.

On each of your Ministries, I am recalling that in Ukraine there is the adopted Law of Ukraine "On cleaning power", that’s the reason why Ministers as well as all candidates for deputy ministers, heads of central executive authorities, public companies, corporations and other entities within the competence of the Government shall come under lustration checks. Every Minister has full authority in the Ministry as well as full responsibility. You are selecting your deputies, as well as managers. The Parliament demands me, I demand you. And the Ukrainian people demand us.

On our further work. We will hold a special cabinet meeting on the Action Programme of the Government of Ukraine. This program must meet the key goals and objectives, I emphasize once again, there are five of such.

The first issue, national security and defence.

The second issue, economy, reform of the tax system and reform of the single social tax.

The third, the fight against corruption.

The fourth, energy. We need to complete the reform of the energy system of Ukraine, most of all I worry about the deficit of the National Joint Stock Company Naftogaz Ukrainy, which exceeds the state budget deficit. While the public deficit is now UAH 68 billion, the deficit of Naftogaz UAH makes up UAH103 billion.

And the last issue on the agenda is public administration reform.

These five key tasks have to be in the Action Programme of the Government and ,dear friends, we have not time to "warm up", we only have time for specific actions as well as the results of these actions

So, let’s move on to the Government’s session. Thanks to the media.