President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy urges to develop a package of legislative initiatives on the basis of his bill on oligarchs to overcome the oligarchic system as soon as possible. The Head of State stated this during a speech at the forum "Ukraine 30. Economy without Oligarchs" in Kyiv.
The President noted that for many years in a row, old politicians have constantly promised people to fight the oligarchs to increase the country's prosperity. Instead, only the number of oligarchs increased.
"For the first time since independence, instead of promises, we have taken real action to overcome this vicious circle of oligarchs' influence. The essence of this circle is simple: oligarchs accumulate illegal capital - part of this capital goes to the creation, promotion and further maintenance of politicians of different levels and officials to increase the illegal capital, part of which again goes to support the same politicians and officials. Oligarchs, politicians and politicians-oligarchs hoped that this engine would work forever. But in their equation, they did not take into account two very important "unknowns" - the state of Ukraine and citizens who have a different opinion and who stated this in the 2019 elections," said Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
According to the President, the oligarchs, taking advantage of the weakness of state institutions and systemic corruption, received resources, assets and preferences for their own enrichment for nothing, and today they use these wealth against their own country.
"It will be different from now on. All we want is clear, transparent, equal and uniform rules for the whole of Ukraine. It doesn't matter if you are a small entrepreneur, a farmer, a big tycoon or a foreign investor. Equal rules for all," he stressed.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted that state institutions and courts must be independent not only from other branches of government, but also from big business.
"Political parties, the media, civil servants at all levels, judges, law enforcement officers, supervisory boards of state-owned enterprises - all this must function without the support and influence of large oligarchic capital," said the President.
"Important: big business is OK, it is right, cool, powerful. It is not OK to become a big business when you either illegally take something from the state budget or do not give something to the state budget,” he said.
It is also not OK when big business alone controls certain sectors of the economy and dictates the rules of the country's development, the President said.
"We want a country of normal rules and laws that work, a competitive economy and independent media - open and free. That is why I took the first important step to dismantle the defining influence of the oligarchs on life, our policy and the future of the state - this is the law on oligarchs," said Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The President noted that this law is only the beginning, it should become the foundation for the legal framework, which will put in the first place the protection of the interests of Ukraine and all taxpayers.
"I and our entire society are waiting for quick and clear legislative initiatives that should introduce effective antitrust tools to overcome the oligarchic system," the President stressed.
The President also stated that all officials and people's deputies of Ukraine should realize their responsibility and not forget that their salaries are paid by the people of Ukraine, so they should serve and protect the interests of the people of Ukraine.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted that the full support of the people of Ukraine gives confidence that in matters of de-oligarchization success is inevitable.
