Ukraine's Finance Minister outlines priorities after elections

The minister pledges to facilitate all initiatives aimed at strengthening Ukraine's European integration and obtaining NATO membership.

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Ukraine's Finance Minister Oksana Markarova says that after the presidential elections the ministry will continue work on the finalization of a three-year budget resolution and the draft national budget for 2020 with a reduced deficit.

"Ukraine has elected a new president. The choice of the overwhelming majority of my fellow citizens has surprised me after five years of war and painful reforms. The choice that I cannot share as a citizen and as a minister, but must accept, because the elections were held in a democratic way. What will I do? I'll continue to work as finance minister until the end of our government's term. And I'll focus on the areas that were my key priorities when I joined the technocrats team in 2015," she wrote on Facebook on April 22.

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In particular, the minister outlined key areas of the ministry's work. In addition to introducing three-year budgeting and preparing a draft budget for 2020 with a reduced deficit, Markarova named the creation of new customs and tax services, as well as the tax police reform. She also mentioned the completion of the International Finance Corporation (IFC) entering the capital of state-owned Ukrgasbank, and the introduction of new supervisory boards at all state-run banks.

Moreover, the official said work will continue to create the Debt Management Agency, reduce the debt-to-GDP ratio, promote open data, including in public finances, as well as provide high-quality financial support for all government reforms, primarily those in health care and education.

"I'll be paying special attention to the uninterrupted financing of [the country's] security and defense, so that our soldiers on the front line will have no problems either with cash or ammunition," she added.

The minister pledged she would facilitate all initiatives aimed at strengthening Ukraine's European integration and obtaining NATO membership.

"I'll be fighting to preserve the institutions that we have created over these five years, the proper functioning of which is a pledge to reduce political influence in those areas where decisions must be made by professionals, rather than politicians, that is fiscal and monetary policies, as well as the financial sector," she added. The minister also thanked outgoing Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko for decision-making in "very difficult times for Ukraine."

Markarova earlier reported on the government's plans to submit a three-year budget resolution to the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament, by May 2019.

As UNIAN reported earlier, the Central Election Commission (CEC) of Ukraine had processed 98% of protocols from precinct election commissions on the results of the second round of presidential elections.

Presidential candidate Volodymyr Zelensky received 73.15% of the votes while his opponent, incumbent head of state Petro Poroshenko, was supported by 24.53% of the voters.

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