President Victor Yushchenko's pre-taped address was delivered immediately after Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko's live appearance on Kyiv's Independence Sqare.
Yushchenko is currently vacationing at his winter residence in the Carpathian Mountains.
Here is his speech. Click here to see it performed.
Dear Ukrainian people,
Dear fellow citizens, Year 2009 is ending. It was a difficult year. It was marked by recession, but not the recession defined its character.
This year has been eventful. And fruitful with conclusions.
We, I believe, will learn how to think of ourselves properly, calmly, without pathos and without underestimation. I know that in the life of each of you, dear fellow citizens, there were many achievements this year, big and small.
I praise your every success and every good deed.
I would like that this moment we thought of and supported those, who suffered loss, felt difficulties, suffered shock. Even mental support does miracles. We have stood up to the hit of the recession.
We were building stadiums and roads, new hospitals and schools. We have achieved that Euro 2012 will be hosted by four cities of Ukraine. Our doctors have saved thousands of lives. Together we liberated our sailors from captivity. We have made a number of very successful external contracts.
We are going through sectoral integration with the European Union: humanitarian, transport, aviation, security and justice.
This year we entered energy community.
And for the first time in history we came close to signing the Association Agreement with the European Union, the key component of which is free trade zone.
Life goes on.
In our country, in our families, more and more children are born. And this is life. We have done this. These good events are our life. We should speak about these things every day.
For us to stop being hostages of only dark, oppressive, yellow information.
Yes – to speak without pathos, but with good thoughts, good feelings to ourselves, to our people and country. A whole decade in our lives comes to an end.
I am proud of this time. I am proud of it with internal peace, without arrogance or rose-colored view.
I am proud of the freedom of speech, freedom of choice, freedom for business.
I am proud of many economic indicators.
I am proud that the attention of the authorities returned to social support of many people, to support of mothers and children, orphans and disabled. I am proud that I am Ukrainian and that being Ukrainian I have addressed millions of people.
I believe that our great idea of a single Ukrainian nation and strong state would spread firmly and persistently.
Thinking today about next year and future years, I appeal to a new Ukrainian man, who is born in a difficult test and perhaps anxiety.
Be not afraid. Go confidently forward. You will win.
Our strength is the strength of our nation, its state, democracy and culture and it is powerful, the most powerful, than any internal or external dangers.
Our life is Ukraine, and no power is able to return it to old, strange to us swamps.
We are Europeans. We will be in the European Union and NATO. We will live in safe, secure and prosperous country. Together we all, all the people from Donbass to the Carpathians, are able to achieve great goals. The new Ukrainian man is our personal dignity, faith and confidence.
This is a quantum of energy, which restored the state, won freedom and seeks to build a new life.
This is the best part of all of us.
I appeal to all of us, dear fellow countrymen. Everything will be fine. We have changed. There is no way we are going back.
Let’s believe in our strength. Let’s believe in ourselves. Let’s have no doubts. Let us be sure that 2010 will bring us victory.
I wish you all and your families new happiness.
I wish you all and our whole people new good.
I wish us all Happy New Year 2010!
