Address by yulia tymoshenko aired by inter tv channel

However, the never-ending conflict and standoff scenario did not work because there is only one political force capable of dictating its own will relentlessly and unconditionally. This force is called the Ukrainian people, and no party is above it. I want politicians to get used to the fact that things are not going to be their way, but the way of the people and what they express in elections, referendums, public hearings and in their letters.

I want to thank you for your trust and turnout at the early elections, which have changed everything in the Verkhovna Rada and the government. I thank you for keeping faith and not giving in to despair. You struggled for your chance to further build your country and did everything in your power. Now it is our turn to repay our debts to you.

I want you to mark today’s date in your calendars because this is the day when the government answers to the people.

We are commencing the process of purifying the country, and I will make every effort to ensure that dirty money is no longer a defining factor in Ukrainian politics. I will see to it that MPs are no longer bought like cattle at a marketplace and politicians are no longer tempted to resort to betrayal in exchange for millions of dollars.

Moreover, those who can afford to pay thirty million dollars for such betrayals will no longer have those illegally-obtained millions.

Within a matter of days MPs will be stripped of their immunity and privileges. Corrupt MPs will be deprived of their membership in the Parliament at party congresses, and heads of law enforcement agencies and controlling bodies will be replaced.

Today the situation in our country is difficult. As one of the newly-appointed ministers put it: “There is no ‘Ministry of Transition’ in the country.” And this applies to all aspects of life. You feel it every day when you witness uncontrolled price growth, explosions at coalmines, unemployment, brazen corruption, meager pensions and salaries, and an irresponsible government.

Yes, this is true, but do not be afraid. It took other countries only a few years to put their houses in order after wars, revolutions, devastating earthquakes and tsunamis. We are no better or worse than them and will also be able to set things right after 17 years of so-called “in-depth reforms.”

We are beginning to act, and I would like first of all to establish direct contact with you. By ‘you’ I mean businessmen, doctors, teachers, artists, coal miners, pensioners, students, transportation workers, peasants and representatives of all social and professional groups. I would like to hear from you directly: what problems you face and what prevents you from being happy and successful. I will teach the entire government machine to be subordinate to your interests and to not indulge in self-satisfaction.

Second, we will under no circumstances try to make our predecessors responsible for the situation in the country. We do not engage in such practices.

It has become a bad tradition in Ukraine that each new government accuses its predecessors of all faults to justify its own laziness and lack of professionalism. It is a shame for the entire country when the government blames price increases on Arab sheikhs and international trends, makes heads of communal utility services responsible for tariff hikes, and accuses hens and cows of causing increased milk and egg prices. It is not worthy of statesmen to shift responsibility. It is like crying over spilled milk because of one’s own lack of professionalism and incompetence. We are not here to complain, but to rebuild the country, accept responsibility, and face challenges. The current government must be responsible for the situation in the country.

But some corrupt bureaucrats should not be so quick to breathe a sigh of relief at this point. Because this does not necessarily mean that we are announcing general amnesty for all law violators. It is not going to be like that!

The first day we started our work, we launched a nationwide anti-corruption investigation that will look into the questionable activities of the previous governments. We must know what they have done. And I guarantee you that we will check how each penny was spent, how each tender was held, how each license was granted and how each illegal act of privatization was conducted. And let those that are guilty have no doubts – they will have to answer for all illegal acts they have committed.

All of the ministers and officials who came to power today should be also aware that all of their decisions will be checked by anti-corruption authorities. We will not allow ourselves to have untouchable politicians and officials who consider themselves to have a God-given right to violate the Constitution and our laws. We will be even more attentive and demanding to the officials to whom we gave positions today than to the old ones. I hope that, in this oversight role, we will receive a great deal of assistance from the Opposition. From our side, we will provide the Opposition with all of the relevant authority necessary to assert this control.

There will be no more chaos in the country. There will be order. My ethics as Prime Minister are simple and apprehensible: whoever wishes to work will work, whoever intends to steal will pay. That is all – there is no alternative.

I am not a naïve person, so I know that nobody wants to have true order in the country except for the true people of Ukraine. We are aware of the resistance we will face from the corrupt structures, oligarch groups, middle bureaucracy class, experts-for-hire and talking heads. If they were spending millions of dollars before to prevent the creation of a coalition of democratic forces and the formation of a new government, now they will squander billions to stop our government and ruin the democratic coalition. They plan neither to clean up nor to live in honor. Well-financed discrediting of the Prime Minister and the government will start right now, today. And I want to call on you to not believe the dark propaganda, but to go together through the way of cleaning up, developing and stabilizing our beautiful and successful country. React critically to ruinous propaganda. It will only be spread by those for whom we will close the dirty ways of enrichment.

We are not rescinding any of our promises – we will bear responsibility for every word we said and for every election promise we gave. Our election program and our government action plan are the same. When I arrived at the Cabinet of Ministers on Wednesday morning, the first meeting I had was with the Head of Oshadbank of Ukraine. We discussed the possibility of returning lost savings to people within the next two years. We will find the solution. And from now, on every day will be devoted to the realization of this goal.

Please note, when I say, “We will do, we will realize, we will put things in order,” I mean through consultation with the President of Ukraine, the government and the democratic coalition in the Verkhovna Rada. This is a unity that I will not let anyone destroy.

You know that we have a strategic development program we call “a Ukrainian breakthrough for people, not for politicians.” This program covers all of the sectors of the national economy, all parts of life and does not discount the interest of any person.

We will do everything to raise the courage and spirituality of the nation, to renew and learn the true history of our people. We will return to teaching patriotism and love for our own land. Ukraine will no longer be a zone of cultural disaster – it will be a place of high culture and beauty.

We need to facilitate investment and entrepreneurship, adopt a new tax code with decreased and simplified tax rates, crush corruption, and finally fix salaries and pensions. It is time to begin to properly reform all sources of national revenue and to open free access to high quality education and medical insurance. We will adopt European standards and affordable housing, we will return lost savings and cancel the military draft. We will create a strong and professional army. We can become WTO members, host EURO-2012, and maybe even win it. It will not be difficult to build friendly relationships with our neighbors, all of which are strong and powerful states. And we will become a strong and powerful nation ourselves.

All of the government’s decisions will be based solely on national interests. All of the Cabinet of Ministers’ actions must be designed to make your life better.

National development and government success should be measured not only by a GDP factor, but also by the people’s happiness.

We are one nation, a single people, a single country. We have nothing to divide. We have to look together for solutions to the current problems in the country. Without unity or efforts toward consolidation, this will be very difficult to achieve.

That is why I call today to cease all political arguments, stop the blockades and fights in parliament and the wars over airing dirty laundry wars and mutual grievances.

We do not need great scandals, we need a great Ukraine.

177 years ago Lesya Ukrayinka said: “Without faith, I hope.” I hope with faith and certainty. Build your life in peace. Everything will be fine in our Ukrainian house.

We have everything we need to become successful. In a few years’ time we will be proud of living in a Great Country.

May God help us!