Government preparing draft state budget 2014

The government continues to prepare for the approval of the State Budget 2014, which will be reviewed at the forthcoming meeting of the Cabinet on Wednesday, and is consulting about organization of tripartite negotiations of Ukraine, Russia, and the European Union, the Information-Analytical Bulletin of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine informs.

Solving the topical problems of the national economy is a key priority of the government, which directly affects the foreign policy priorities. So after approval of a decree to suspend preparations for the signing of the EU Association Agreement, the Cabinet has intensified practical implementation of measures aimed at the revitalization of enterprises in all industries.

As Prime Minister Mykola Azarov pointed out, actions of the Ukrainian authorities to restore trade relations with the CIS countries, and with Russia in particular, are justified exclusively by economic expediency. "We see Russia as our trade and economic partner. This is the country we have lived together under the same roof with, and the better things are going on in Russia, the more opportunities there are for us to develop. Life itself has forced us to live together, life itself does not divide, but unites," Azarov said. 

Azarov added that the European Union is well aware of the situation in Ukraine and of the challenges faced by our country due to the downturn in the global economy. Thus, the Cabinet’s decision to suspend the signing of the association agreement was not a tragedy for European officials. It is possible that this issue will be included on the agenda of the next EU-Ukraine summit, which will take place early next year.

"First and foremost, it is necessary to solve existing problems in Ukraine,"  Azarov said.

He emphasized that the suspension of Ukraine's preparation for the signing of the EU Association Agreement does not mean Kyiv wants to join the Customs Union of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan. "We are focused on integration with the European Union, but this time we take a break. Strategically, nothing has changed, it has changed only tactically," Azarov stressed.