Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych has said that a modern Ukraine should actively participate in global processes and influence them.
"Today we need to move from a false choice between the various global centers of influence to the implementation of a balanced policy aimed at defending our national interests in relations with Ukraine’s key international partners," Yanukovych said at a grand meeting on occasion of Ukrainian Unity Day in Kyiv on Saturday.
The head of state noted that the creation of conditions for Ukraine’s full membership of the EU was a strategic objective in the country’s foreign policy.
In this connection, Yanukovych outlined the main goals for this year: "The state’s immediate efforts should be focused on the qualitative renewal of production capacities and infrastructure. Our objective is a systemic modernization of our country, increasing its competitiveness in the post-crisis world. We will continue to create conditions under which investment in the renewal of production would be profitable."
He said that Ukraine would strengthen relations between science and business, education and production, national projects would be launched to support innovative production and that conditions would be created to implement projects in the sphere of alternative energy.
"The state will provide active support to economic activity. In particular, the issue concerns assistance in finding promising contracts, the system of insurance of export operations, and the spread of information about investment opportunities in Ukraine," Yanukovych said.
The president also noted that import substitution would be stimulated and that updated transport infrastructure would be prepared for the Euro 2012 European Football Championship.
Yanukovych also said that a package of social reforms would be conducted in 2011: "First of all, it’s pension reform. Our task is to ensure that these changes are made smoothly. We’ll give people proper compensation and avoid growth in unemployment."
He said that the reform of government and public administration reform would also continue this year.
"The Constitutional Assembly will start to work to draw up a new constitutional bill, which will bring together representatives of all political forces and civil society organizations who are ready to conduct a serious and professional discussion on constitutional issues. The authorities will not impose on the country its own vision of constitutional amendments and prepare the conditions for the independent and open work of the Constitutional Assembly," the president said.
He also noted that the reduction of bureaucrats would continue.
