AMU Experts Discussed Ukraine’s Economy Development With Domestic Specialists  

Ukraine could become the industrial center of Europe, if the basis of economic policy is a long-term strategy. This was stated by Waldemar Pawlak, the Prime Minister of Poland (1993-1995), during the round table organized by the Agency for the Modernization of Ukraine in Kyiv.

Waldemar Pawlak, who was the Minister of Economic Affairs of Poland for five years following his position as Prime Minister, contributed his expertise as Chairman of the AMU "Economy" round table. Moreover, his knowledge will also be incorporated into the program to modernize Ukraine.

Mr. Pawlak emphasized during the round table: "Economic policies should never consist of only short-term decisions, they must always have a long-term dimension to bring modernization for prosperity to all. Responsible politicians must think beyond their term of office."
  
Also, the head of “Economy” workstream in the AMU expressed the belief that in order to strengthen economic growth and competitiveness in Ukraine, the state should promote the development of entrepreneurship. According to Waldemar Pawlak, entrepreneurship and innovation in Ukraine could be stimulated by creating a zone of prosperity, economic clusters, greater diversity of export products.

"Ukraine has many good regulations in area of entrepreneurship but the implementation and day to day practise is what needs substantial improvement", said the expert. Former Polish Prime Minister also added that thanks to the reforms Ukraine could substantially increase exports to the EU. "In discussions with the Federation of Employers of Ukraine, we learned that Ukraine can produce more for the European market. The most promising are the agricultural and high technology sectors. But all this requires investment support", said Waldemar Pawlak.
 
The Program of the modernization of Ukraine elaborated by the AMU is planned to be resulted in attraction of $300 billion of investments. Dmitry Firtash, the initiator of the Agency establishment and President of the Federation of Employers of Ukraine, is sure that today the main aim for our country is an economic recovery. If the stopped companies are launched, it will solve the problem of unemployment, because today more than 2.5 million people do not have job.
 
"We understand that the only way by which we can get out of the difficult economic situation is a new jobs creation. Nine million working Ukrainians cannot provide 12 million pensioners a decent pension, it is impossible. We have to create a new production, then the budget will be filled and pensioners will receive a decent pension", said Dmitry Firtash, the President of the Federation of Employers of Ukraine.
 
In addition, industrial resources, cheap and at the same time skilled workforce, favorable geographical position – these factors give a chance to attract investments in the real sector of the economy of Ukraine and will help the country to become competitive on the European market, which, in turn, will ensure the state budget filling. The AMU Program of economic reforms should be supported by: exchange rate stabilization, creation of a fund consolidating the banking sector, decentralization of public finances, creation of the National Fund for Environmental Protection.
 
The Agency for the Modernization plans to introduce the package of recommendations to overcome the crisis in the Ukrainian economy to Ukrainian and Western European public in the autumn of 2015.