Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko on May 30 had a working meeting with head of Odesa Regional State Administration Mikheil Saakashvili, during which the president praised the governor's performance.
Poroshenko said he was confident that “our team, a reliable member of which is Mikheil Saakashvili, is capable of achieving a lot,” the presidential press service reported.
Saakashvili was appointed governor of Odesa region a year ago.
During the meeting, the president instructed Saakashvili to take the construction of the Odesa-Reni highway under his personal control. He noted that the construction of that highway had not only regional importance.
“We hope that this route will become a corridor, which unites Odesa with Romania and Bulgaria. We expect this project to involve the EU funds as well. At least, leadership of Romania and Bulgaria assured me of their interest in the given project,” Poroshenko said.
In his words, he hopes that several sources of funding would be found.
The president instructed to allocate funds from the state budget at the expense of the Regional Development Fund and Odesa Regional Council for the construction to be ensured by both local and regional budgets.
Poroshenko also said that he was confident that legal requirements on the allocation of funds from the overfulfillment of the customs duty plan would be implemented. “Please take this issue under your personal control. If, God forbid, there is a failure of funding, slowdown or postponement of tenders for the construction, please inform me personally,” he said.
He also emphasized the need for completing the construction of the new customs terminal as soon as possible.
Poroshenko also praised successful transformations of the Odesa customs house over the last year.
The president informed that he had instructed the Prosecutor General to immediately appoint new prosecutor of the region and noted that a special department of the Anti-Corruption Bureau would be established in Odesa.
“We have created all conditions to demonstrate practical results. I can assure you that you have full support of the President, Prime Minister and Government, which is doing everything to ensure efficient and prompt reformation,” Poroshenko said.
Special attention was paid to the necessity of ensuring the Naval Forces Headquarters’ functioning in Odesa. Poroshenko instructed the governor to facilitate that issue and help Ukrainian military seamen who left Crimea and remained loyal to the military oath.
Poroshenko also urged Saakashvili to intensify the involvement and protection of investments and create favorable conditions for the development of tourist potential of the region. “We should make Odesa region attractive for investments. It particularly concerns resort area,” he said. This summer season in Odesa will become an indicator for investors, he added.
In turn, Saakashvili expressed gratitude to the president for his support and ensuring legal order in the course of the anniversary of tragic events of May 2, 2014. “Ukraine has become stronger in Odesa region over the past year,” the governor said and assured the president of the readiness to work over the areas outlined by the president.
“We have launched European projects under our agreements with leaders of Romania and other neighboring states. These are very useful projects for Odesa region – they have a huge potential for the future of not only Odesa region, but also the entire Ukraine. This is the first international victory of regional scale. It will direct European funds for the benefit of every resident of these regions,” Saakashvili said.
