During her working visit to Brussels, Prime Minister of Ukraine Yulia Tymoshenko presented key provisions of her Government’s program “Ukrainian breakthrough: not for politicians, but for the people, according to the government’s press-office.
At the meetings of Mrs. Tymoshenko with the EU officials she laid a special emphasis on the following issues:
- new Initiative on transparency in governmental activities, known as Tymoshenko Transparency Initiative;
- stirring up the negotiations on the new enhanced agreement between Ukraine and the EU, in particular, within the context of immediate launching talks on the Free trade area after Ukraine becomes the WTO member;
- opening dialogue with the EU regarding the liberalization of visa regime for Ukrainian citizens traveling to the European Union; discussion of movement towards visa free regime between Ukraine and the EU;
- deepening cooperation between Ukraine and the EU in the sphere of energy, in particular with respect to diversification of energy supply, providing energy security, and upgrading transit capacities of Ukraine.
The Head of Ukrainian Government particularly underscored that the principles of transparency constitute foundation for philosophy of the new Ukrainian Government, first of all within the activities aimed at more effective public administration, which is to serve as a guarantee for favourable investment climate in Ukraine.
Tymoshenko Transparency Initiative (TTI) includes the following elements:
· Institutional transparency. Open discussion on the new Constitution of Ukraine.
· Ensuring transparent judiciary system in Ukraine.
· Transparent legislation concerning elections; preventing fraud.
· Transparent and open lists of political parties’ members.
· Transparent and accountable authorities and opposition.
· Transparent Government and guarantees regarding free access to information.
· Transparent budgetary process with no shadow lobbying.
· Transparent governmental purchases and tender procedures.
· Transparent taxes (simplified tax system preventing evasion); transparent VAT refund.
· Transparent relations between the authorities and business (transparent registration procedures; averting conflict of state servants’ interests).
· Transparent and competitive business and investment environment with equal rules for all entrepreneurs.
· Transparent privatization processes with equal access for Ukrainian and foreign investors, implying open auctions and no pre-qualification limitations.
· Transparent payment on dividends on minority shareholding as a profit due.
· Transparent lease or sale of non-agricultural land.
· Transparent University entrance examinations (independent testing).
· Transparent crossing border procedures.
· Transparent energy policy, with no intermediaries, based on international
treaties (European Energy Charter, Energy Community Treaty etc.) that protect interests of consumers, producer and a transiting party.
· Transparency in granting investors a right to extract minerals (Law on distribution of production and open auctions for obtaining license).
· Transparent diplomacy and foreign policy with no double standards.
Ukrainian Prime Minister stressed that her Transparency Initiative is based on understanding of the necessity of changes and reforms in Ukraine in accordance with the key European values and demands of Ukrainian civil society.
Within this context, Mrs. Tymoshenko stated the following preconditions to be significant for the implementation of the Initiative:
1. Open and effective communication between the Government and the citizens.
2. Equality of all citizens towards the law.
3. Real accountability and responsibility of all the branches of the state power.
4. Dialogue between political parties; ensuring the rights of the opposition.
5. European quality of state administration.
Defining clear objectives in foreign policy; effective communication with strategic partners of Ukraine and with every important regional and international player.
