Interfax: Ukraine preparing “Marshall Plan” for 2014-16 – Deputy PM

BRUSSELS. July 8 (Interfax) – The Ukrainian people have opted to join Europe but is confronted with serious challenges, first of all connected with Russia, said Ukraine’s deputy prime minister, Volodymyr Groysman.

“Russia’s aggression – not only military – is unprecedented. Add to this information, economic and energy aggression which aims to ruin Ukraine,” he said at a high-level meeting to coordinate donor aid to Ukraine in Brussels on Tuesday.

He said Ukrainian citizens are the main donors now, providing money to support the military, as well as humanitarian programs. He added that consistent work to improve the economic situation, jointly with international donors, is of great importance.

“The government is working on a plan to restore and promote economic growth for 2014-16,” he said, noting that this plan would be announced at a conference of donors for Ukraine to be held in autumn.

The most important targets of this plan are stronger eastern borders and a rehabilitation program for the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, including the creation of jobs, he said.

Groysman made special mention of donor aid for diversifying supplies of energy resources and improving the energy efficiency. The fight against corruption is a separate task to be tackled by the government, he said.

Groysman urged the donors to join the work on this plan which, he said, is expected to become a Marshall Plan for Ukraine, and proposed sending a mission to Ukraine to assess its needs and to participate in efforts to organize a conference of donors. “We wouldn’t just need money. We are expecting effective assistance in implementing concrete programs and projects,” Groysman said.

“We are planning to implement these projects in a transparent and open manner. Each hryvnia must be spent with 100% efficiency,” he said.