22.3.2010
А.М. BLYZNYUK press conference
On March, 22nd, Anatoliy BLYZNYUK gave his first press conference as the chairman of Donetsk region state administration.
Anatoliy Blyznyuk announced his principles of work, personnel policy and strategic plans for development of Donetsk region.
The following themes were discussed:
Approaches to work
My working principles have been known for a long time already, first of all there should not be indifferent people. Interested people should work in our command to be work effective. I am the supporter of such ideology – not to destroy old one until something new isn’t built. But to construct something new it is necessary to change ideology, and by means of new ideology we start reforms in all spheres of life. We have certain experience concerning free economic zones and territory of priority development, we will act with various initiatives, the Donetsk region will be “the pilot one” in different directions (reforming of local government, nongovernmental provision of pensions).
There are work principles: for example, there is a specific target and to solve it we should establish a certain structure, then we will be engaged in filling this structure by persons, that is we will select such people who most of all approach to realize the given problem.
I consider the primary goal is to increase the standard of life of our people. And for this purpose the authority should involve socially responsible business, provide a bulk feedback. The bulk should know that you can’t manage without acceptance of unpopular measures. For example, the housing and communal service is in a difficult situation and in order not to disorganize it at all you should understand that it is inevitable to rise prices for branch services. It's quite another matter that poor mass of population should be protected by a privilege and grant state system. Others should pay for housing and communal services such sum of money how it costs. The bulk should understand that quality of service will be improved and will be guaranteed only then when the good price will be paid completely.
Plans for strategic prospect:
• Local government reforming
I will unambiguously initiate carrying out in Donetsk area the pilot project on local government reforming. One of the parts of this reform will be bulk activity development according to which people will take part in bulk life and define social norms. For example, people should define for themselves, what services the person should receive at level of village, settlement, region, and what in the regional centre. In the country the ideology of common medical, educational space should be confessed. All should be built on common sense.
• Administrative territorial device reforming in order to approach the services to people.
• Introduction of effective management methods
For example, now we have brought into the practice the carrying out of online videoconferences with participation of heads of areas, cities and region settlements. In certain cases we hold online meetings that allow us to save resources. And so on, computerization, innovation implantation which will allow to raise work efficiency, the ideology of lifelong studying accepted all over the world (it will be implemented at all levels: preschool studying, school, institute, post graduating studying etc.). Only with innovative thinking we can catch up with the leading countries which we have hopelessly lagged behind.
Euro-2012 preparation
The new Vice-prime minister of Ukraine Boris KOLESNIKOV who supervises preparation for Euro-2012, has built system which during current week, I am sure, will be brought to a level of clockwork and will be launched. We have a network schedule, we are in the difficult zone, but not in the critical one. And under the condition of financing maintenance, we will finish building the runway, centre of flights control, platforms, the terminal, station square and beltway road round Donetsk in the terms planned by us.
Donetsk underground
Today we need 6 milliard grivnas on underground building and then the it will require more. And if we count how much money will be put up, what is cost price, than there is no payback period at all. If the state takes the underground project in Donetsk as the social one and is ready for a fare of 4-6 grivnas per one passenger if we construct it, which will date the underground? There is no question if the state is ready to put in the budget compensation for the low fare in underground. And if Donetsk has to construct it and then not pay salary to doctors, not build roads, in this case it cannot be done on any account.
And on the other hand, just think how many cars will go to the underground? Any. In that case, maybe it is better for the same money to provide necessary traffic interchange, to build some exits from the city centre to beltway. It is necessary to see how it is better for people. You should think and act innovatively.
About regions’ self-sufficiency
I would not speak about federalization but about self-sufficiency. If we take into account any village it is impossible to speak about self-sufficiency. But if it is Donbass which is the donor, it is another question. It is necessary to estimate the situation as a whole. Today in Ukraine there are 4 donors and 23 recipients. If I were the governor of grant region I would gather directors and tell that we are forming the budget and each of you should make a suggestion concerning how much he will pay taxes. The smaller base we will make, the bigger grant we will be given. Actually, we will produce and receive more, and consequently there will be resources per one person more than in Donetsk region which writes the truth and always is the donor. So, the self-sufficiency principle should be observed. And a self-sufficient region in which there is no international opposition, the economy is developed and there is the administrative device built on principle of effective local government with the local legislative initiative, should have the budget of 70 % in region, and 30 % in the state. I mentioned only a few positions of self-sufficiency and actually there are a lot of them.
