Fellow Ukrainians!
I really want the time to come when the meetings of the National Security and Defense Council will be held not once a week, but once a year. And the agenda of these meetings will contain only one item - nobody and nothing threatens Ukraine.
It is for this purpose that we continue our daily work, active defense of our state and restoration of justice. And the various "nobody" and "nothing", which have been inflicting great losses and painful blows on the country for years, receive great troubles and painful sanctions in return.
In continuation of the movement on this path, a regular meeting of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine took place today. Among the number of issues discussed at it, I want to highlight a few most important, in my opinion.
First of all, these are the results of the implementation of previous decisions of the National Security and Defense Council, namely, sanctions against thieves in law and crime bosses. In three weeks, charges were brought against six thieves in law. Twelve were deported from Ukraine. Others are in custody and isolated from the outside world. That is, we managed to achieve virtually zero influence of thieves in law on the criminogenic situation in Ukraine. In addition, after the sanctions of the National Security and Defense Council, 111 ethnic crime bosses terminated their criminal influence. One third was deported from Ukraine. Others are awaiting the completion of the deportation procedure or are under investigation. The documents for residence in Ukraine of the rest of them were abolished. And this is the case when I am not at all upset by the fact that someone is emigrating from Ukraine forever.
Also today we discussed the problematic issues of citizens living in rural areas. Namely, in the villages of Koncha-Zaspa and Pushcha-Vodytsya, where the biggest problem is the use of state-owned facilities by unknown persons for unknown reasons.
At the last meeting of the National Security and Defense Council, I commissioned to conduct an audit of all state lands and buildings, as well as to establish a complete list of their inhabitants.
Today we heard the first results: in the near future, the first twenty people, including former ministers, prosecutors general and other high-ranking officials, will be evicted from state buildings. I want to emphasize - these twenty people are the first to leave but not the last.
And the most important issue of both this meeting and this week is the law on oligarchs.
First of all, I want to say: I didn't expect that there are so many experts on de-oligarchization in our country. If we knew, we would invite them to draft a bill. But, unfortunately, all of them for some reason have been concealing this knowledge for the previous 30 years. And none of the politicians, including those of the highest level, has ever raised the issue of oligarchs. Probably because talking a lot about yourself is impolite and immodest.
Secondly, I am grateful to all the critics of the law. Your remarks are valuable: you have been working with oligarchs for many years, either for oligarchs or under oligarchs, and therefore, you clearly understand all the shortcomings of the law, being, as they say, deep in the material.
And I would like to address separately the employers of all these independent experts and critics. As business sharks, you should have keen senses. Surprisingly, you do not feel that the country has changed and is starting a new story. Under the new rules. Not even so. Simply - by the rules.
You can accept them. Be a big, transparent business with the help of the state, not at the expense of the state. A business that pays taxes, not kickbacks. That finances charitable projects, not a group of deputies. That increases its capital not because it divides and takes away from the country.
Everyone who is ready to work only this way is welcome.
And those who do not want to live and work according to the new and fair rules of the game will be out of the game.
I will have one question for those who will try to rock the boat, persuade, break or reach an agreement with MPs on this law. This is a question about the status of oligarchs, which will be put to an all-Ukrainian referendum. This question will be the first. And for someone, perhaps the last.
I also want to say that this bill is only the first step. This is the creation of a foundation for counteracting oligarchic influence.
You can't own deputies, ministers and any other officials. This bill is the first decision in all 30 years of independence that demonstrates our attitude to the oligarchic system. It claims: yes, there are oligarchs in Ukraine. Yes, they influence politics. And, yes - it will not happen again.
Take care of yourself, your loved ones and our Ukraine!
Glory to Ukraine!