Petro KOZYNETS, president, National Association of Credit Unions, Ukraine:
“I believe the new president should immediately make every effort to legalize the gray economy. Naturally, this will require more than just a decree — there must be a system that will perhaps include tax amnesty. I am sure this is a matter of paramount importance and topmost priority.”
Andriy BIRIUKOV, president, Ukrainian League of Users of the National System of Mass Electronic Payments:
“I am not the one to offer advice on what should be done first of all. But, taking into account nationwide interest in the problems related to the privatization of strategically important facilities, I think the new government’s first steps will be to alter or reconsider the results of this privatization. I also believe it is necessary to update the law governing the creation and functioning of so-called free economic zones, especially the liquidation clause, although I don’t think this is one of the most burning problems of the Ukrainian economy at the moment. At the moment it is difficult to say what will be done.”
Anatoliy MOROZ, People’s Deputy, member of the parliamentary Committee for Industrial Policies and Entrepreneurship:
“In my opinion, appropriation and utilization of budgetary funds need to be improved. Although money is being allocated for all kinds of projects and plans, this is being done erratically and unsystematically. We also need decrees on budgetary revenues in order to ensure a continuous and uninterrupted flow of money into the economy.”
Vitaliy MARGULIS, general manager, Ukrconsulting Association:
“In my opinion, the new president should begin by cutting expenses for maintaining the bureaucratic apparatus. Astronomical sums of money are being spent on privileges, fringe and other benefits for the administrative machinery, especially highly-paid civil servants. So the president should either issue a decree to reduce or cancel all these privileges or sign the Verkhovna Rada bill to this effect.
“It is also necessary to streamline taxation and abolish such things as tax on the intention, not on the action, — quite a common occurrence in our tax sector.”
Kostiantyn VASHCHENKO, First Deputy Chairman, State Committee for Regulation Policies and Entrepreneurship:
“As the new president is a former banker, we can predict that his first decrees will deal with the banking sphere. I think he will focus primarily on microcrediting, especially since the UN has declared 2005 International Year of Microcredit. It would be much to the benefit of small and medium business if a uniform 8-% credit rate were introduced. One of the president’s first actions could also be to introduce a zero declaration for enterprises. This step would help us effectively combat corruption.”
Oleksandr SUHONIAKO, president, Association of Ukrainian Banks:
“I can immediately ask a question: why were so many people dependent on administrative power and why was this power able to hold on for so long? There is only one answer: our state in fact failed to guarantee the right to property. Actually, nobody could defend their right to own property. This is why I think that the new president should immediately deal with guarantees for owners. Above all, it is necessary to pass the law ‘On Joint-Stock Companies’, which is aimed precisely at defending the right of individuals to own shares. This should be followed by a taxation reform.”
Mykola PALADIY, chairman, State Department of Intellectual Property:
“I think the president should, first of all, decree to draft a plan of improving the mechanism and ways of Ukraine’s development in the nearest decade. We will only be able to become a strong and competitive country on the world political and economic arena if we know exactly in what direction to move and what to do in each concrete field. A decree like this would be more suitable for this country’s economy than decrees concerning one specific sector. We will in turn help the President draw up this plan which will reflect the aspirations of society.”
