Interfax: Azarov: full-fledged partnership with Russia prevents worst-case economic scenario

Map of European Portion of Former Soviet Union

KYIV. Dec 31 (Interfax) – Ukrainian Prime Minister Mykola Azarov and Verkhovna Rada Speaker Volodymyr Rybak have congratulated fellow citizens with the New Year and Christmas.

The prime minister recalled the main socioeconomic and political events of the outgoing year and said that the year was complicated but certain achievements were still made.

“We averted devaluation of the national currency and a growth of public utility charges and prices on main consumer goods. We not only survived under the hardest conditions, we also modernized our economy. For instance, we commissioned Europe’s largest and most efficient Dniester hydropower plant and built hundreds of new enterprises. We also built roads, bridges, hospitals, schools and kindergartens and launched new plants. We collected a record harvest of 63 million tonnes of grain,” the government website quoted Azarov as saying.

He also recalled the decision to suspend the signing of a free trade agreement with the European Union “in order to give our economy time to recover and strengthen.”

“There is no doubt that we will carry on with the European integration course but we will have a stronger position and defend national interests,” Azarov said.

The prime minister called the agreements reached between the Ukrainian and Russian presidents in December historic.

“Restoration of the full-fledged relations with the Russian Federation prevented the worst-case scenario for the national economy,” he stressed, added that he had no doubts about the financial stability of Ukraine. “This allows our enterprises to map out production and sales plans for next year with confidence. Most importantly, our people are sure that they will have permanent jobs and their families will prosper⦠All of us share the same goal – we want to live in an independent and rich country,”

Azarov said. He said he was confident that the decisions made in 2013 “created new opportunities for the economic development of Ukraine.” “I am positive that the talented people of Ukraine united by common values and the European reforms course will make significant steps towards the goal of prosperous Ukraine next year,” the prime minister said.

Azarov wished Ukrainians success in the pursuit of their personal, public and business goals and said that he wanted 2014 to be a year of economic, cultural, sport and other achievements of Ukraine, a year of national concord and unity. He wished health, happiness, energy and love to Ukrainians.

In turn, Rybak said that Ukrainians realized in 2013 they could find a way out of any complex situation if they were united. He stressed the importance of hearing each other, considering all cons and pros, and moving along the path of democracy and reforms. “The country was spared the unavoidable economic collapse and political destruction only by the political will and realism of Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych,” Rybak said.

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