I wish you good health, fellow Ukrainians!
Today is a public holiday, but we work for your health and safety. We are well aware that there are no morning or night, weekdays or public holidays for coronavirus.
Quarantine has lasted for over a month now. And this allowed us to bring down the first wave of the disease. I am very proud of you. I thank every Ukrainian for their endurance and patience.
But let's not relax, let’s fight COVID-19 further.
An important priority of this fight is to provide the country with everything necessary.
At the beginning of coronavirus countermeasures, I began each meeting with the same questions. When will pharmacies have masks and disinfectants? When will doctors be protected and financially stimulated? How many working ventilators do we have? When will we have enough PCR tests? Gradually we managed to improve the situation.
We have provided regular delivery of cargo to Ukraine with everything necessary.
For our hospitals, pharmacies and retail chains.
In parallel, we managed to quickly deploy domestic production of express and PCR tests, reusable protective suits. We also managed to produce up to one million masks a day. We are increasing the number of daily tests. And the Anti-Coronavirus Fund has already allocated 100 million hryvnias to purchase 200 Ukrainian-made ventilators.
We will not stop until we finally defeat coronavirus.
I know that quarantine has brought a lot of difficulties to business and citizens.
From the first days, we do our best to make your life a little easier.
I would like to point out the recent steps in this direction.
First of all, it is a 3-5% loan program for SMEs. We understand that there are entrepreneurs who did not work during quarantine, and therefore will not be able to show the income to the bank. Nevertheless, they will receive the necessary money because the state will act as guarantor.
Up to 30 billion hryvnias are planned for this program.
Additional six billion hryvnias are allocated to increase the minimum unemployment benefit, as well as to help employers who have stopped working because of coronavirus. They will be able to receive compensation from the state for paying salaries to their employees.
One of the anti-crisis programs for social protection of families is being launched. If you are a self-employed individual of the first or second taxpayer groups, you will be able to get help for a child under the age of ten.
After the approval of this decision by the Verkhovna Rada Budget Committee, which I am sure will happen, more than 300,000 families of self-employed individuals will be able to receive such assistance. The payment amount is about UAH 2,000, the program will be valid for the time of quarantine and one month after its cancellation.
Also on Wednesday, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Economy developed criteria that allowed the resumption of functioning of the food and agricultural markets.
It was important for citizens and small businesses. We did it. And now we expect the response from the market owners. Please be responsible, provide a secure environment for sellers and visitors. Otherwise, the markets that violate the rules will be closed again. I'm sure nobody wants that.
I would like to convey a special message personally from the President, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Security Service of Ukraine to the Mayor of Cherkasy who, together with the city council, lost the calendar and intended to mitigate the quarantine measures before May 11.
It is an attempt to earn political points at the cost of lives and health of the city residents. And this will have relevant legal consequences.
For the future: this applies to all local government officials who confuse the words "decentralization" and "autonomy". Individual initiatives that endanger the safety of people are unacceptable.
Among other things, I want to thank the people's deputies of Ukraine, and especially the "Servant of the People" party who unlocked the adoption of banking law yesterday. 16,000 amendments will not scare us or disrupt the important cooperation of Ukraine with the IMF. We will certainly receive the necessary funds for the economy, despite yesterday's attempts by some political forces to impede this process.
I think everything became clear to the people of Ukraine: the score is on the scoreboard.
I also want to emphasize the importance of warming up our economy and giving it a new impetus after the quarantine. That is why the Great Construction program is continued.
In 2020, we will allocate 85 billion hryvnias for roads of national importance and 22 billion hryvnias for local roads.
This will create thousands of jobs in all regions of our country. Yesterday the issue of providing Ukravtodor with the first tranche for road repair was resolved.
At the same time, schools, kindergartens and more than two hundred emergency rooms in hub hospitals remain our priority.
Dear citizens! We have a lot of hard work ahead - to build Ukraine we want to pass on to our children. Work, business and the economy as a whole - we will restore all this and bring it to the highest level, but under the only condition: we must be healthy. The key to this is your consciousness.
Take a look at the statistics. The increase of the infected takes place exactly where people behaved carelessly: did not listen to us at Easter, violated quarantine rules, allowed crowds.
But I am glad that in general most Ukrainians were very disciplined. At Easter and during the memorial days, you have shown that you realize the danger of the situation, that you are adult, responsible people.
And it gives great hope for the future. We must understand that our country is gradually approaching the peak of the situation.
May holidays are ahead. A crucial storm is ahead.
But I believe that we will be able to withstand and pass it together.
Celebrate at home. And don't forget that quarantine mitigation is scheduled for May 11. We have a clear step-by-step plan that will gradually open things up. And surely the day will come when the desirable parks, cafes, cinema and subway will start working. But the date of it depends on you.
And finally. May 1 is International Workers' Day. I want to say for the hundredth time "Thank you" to all those who work hard to keep Ukrainians safe, and, if necessary, I am ready to say it for the thousandth time.
These are our doctors, border guards, military, police, national guards, firefighters and rescuers, social workers, educators and pharmacists. Workers of critical infrastructure, railroads, aircraft and ship crews, store attendants, postmen and transport workers. Thank you for your work!
And of course, I congratulate all Ukrainians on the International Workers' Day.
Today is a situation when, regardless of the holiday, the most topical wish is health.
And now some numbers.
Let's not celebrate today at all 100%, let’s protect the immunity, so the maximum is 50, so that all of us have 36,6.
There are 10 days left until the beginning of quarantine mitigation.
Keep well, dear Ukrainians.
Take care of ourselves! Save Ukraine!