Ukrainian govt adopts action plan for 2023 including integration into EU, NATO among top priorities
MOSCOW. March 14 (Interfax) - The Ukrainian government has approved its Action Plan for 2023, Prime Minister Denis Shmygal said.
"This document will systematize the work of the Cabinet of Ministers and central executive bodies this year," Shmygal was quoted by Ukrainian media as saying at a government meeting on Tuesday.
Shmygal said the Action Plan includes more than 500 tasks, namely, bills, resolutions, programs and projects.
"The first key item is security and defense. All the taxes that citizens and businesses pay will go for defense and security, will go for new weapons, new military hardware and better supplies for the Ukrainian army," Shmygal said.
"The second point is further integration into the European Union and NATO. Ukraine is implementing the seven recommendations of the European Commission that we received last year. We are currently launching self-screening of our legislation for its compliance with the European one," he said.
This item of the plan stipulates the start of membership negotiations in 2023; update of the plan for the implementation of the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the EU; plans to extend the "transport and economic visa-free" regimes; "roaming visa-free" regime and launch the process of accession to the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA).
"As for NATO, the main point is the further implementation of the standards of the North Atlantic Alliance. The establishment of the Program of Work on Military Standardization for 2024-2026. The deepening of political cooperation between Ukraine and NATO," Shmygal said.
Another priority is energy security, he said. The key tasks are to start the restoration of the energy sector under new standards, to prepare for the 2023-2024 heating season, to increase the electricity import-export capacity of the EU countries, to introduce the principles of the European Green Deal in Ukraine, and the plans to approve a long-term strategy for hydrogen energy development.
The fourth item of the action plan is Ukraine's recovery, Shmygal said. Among other things, it stipulates that the government introduce a unified digital analytical and information system to manage the process of infrastructure restoration.
The fifth item is macro-financial stability and supporting businesses. In particular, it plans a large-scale de-regulation for businesses, will continue to abolish unnecessary permits and licenses, and will pursue a policy of reducing the role of the state in the economy.
The sixth item is social policy. Support for citizens who find themselves in difficult circumstances. "Targeted payments will be improved and increased for those who really need it," Shmygal said.
The decentralization and regional development will also be continued, in particular, a plan for the rehabilitation and development of regions, a new strategy for regional development until 2027 will be adopted.