I wish you good health, fellow Ukrainians!
Our joint counteraction to coronavirus in Ukraine is continued. Today is Sunday, but we work to provide the country with everything it needs, we work to protect the lives and health of our citizens.
I'll start with good news. Today, the second plane landed in Boryspil from China delivering 300,000 special respirators and 35,000 protective suits for doctors, military and police. Also there were almost two million masks for the population. The cargo has already been distributed and is now heading to the regions of Ukraine. Tonight the plane will again fly to China for the next shipment. At the same time, we expect a separate delivery of one hundred thousand high-precision PCR tests.
Also two additional planes will regularly deliver security and medical equipment starting from Tuesday. All flights will operate on a regular basis until all our hospitals and pharmacies are equipped with everything necessary.
We are also solving the issue of Ukrainians who did not manage to return home by March 28. Their return - by plane, train, bus, car or on foot - should be as safe as possible for the others, and therefore it requires a mandatory two-week observation. We are currently preparing a list of relevant locations. In particular, it can be Ukrainian hotels, with which we have already reached an agreement in advance. Each premises for mandatory observation will be prepared in strict accordance with the requirements of the Ministry of Health.
Another important point is distance education during the quarantine.
Our mission as a state is to provide every child with free access to knowledge.
To this end, the project "Nationwide School Online" will start on Monday, April 6. Within the project, 40 teachers from Kyiv will become teachers for the whole of Ukraine during the quarantine. Daily shooting of lessons for 5-11 grade pupils is now underway. 11 subjects are taught according to the balanced program of the Ministry of Education and Science.
Pupils can study on Facebook and YouTube. Also, the lessons will be broadcasted each morning by Ukrainian TV channels that are pleased to join this important mission. One or more TV channels will be assigned to each class. A list of them, as well as a weekly schedule, will be available shortly. We encourage parents to follow the news and encourage their children to watch them. In fact, the whole family can join this cognitive content. And so - we stay home. We study at home.
I also want to speak about the extraordinary session of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, which is to take place tomorrow.
Our country has, in fact, found itself at a crossroads due to coronavirus, and has two paths.
The first is the adoption of two vital laws. After that, we will receive support from our international financial partners in the amount of at least ten billion dollars. This is needed to stabilize the country's economy and overcome the crisis.
Otherwise - the second path. A failure of these laws leading to the economic downturn and even the threat of default.
In recent weeks, the Office of the President and the Cabinet of Ministers have done their utmost. And we did that - we agreed on financial support for Ukraine. We and the government have chosen our path. Now it is your turn, dear MPs. Tomorrow, the responsibility is yours.
Tomorrow, the people of Ukraine will see clearly whether you are ready to defend their interests.
And though tomorrow you will all be wearing masks, it will become clear to people who is who. Society will understand whether you are servants of the people or servants of others' interests.
Realize your responsibility. Understand the implications for each of you. Choose the right path tomorrow. You have been chosen by the people of Ukraine. Now it is your turn to choose the people of Ukraine.
I would like to pay special attention to the changes to the State Budget of Ukraine.
Earlier, the first draft amendments proposed by the Ministry of Finance were made public and were rightly criticized by society. Currently, due to the joint work of the Government, the Office of the President and the Parliament, it has been substantially revised.
Salaries of officials and judges, as well as members of supervisory boards and management of state-owned enterprises will be minimized. No hryvnia will be taken from expenditures on the army and defense of Ukraine.
Payments to doctors who counteract coronavirus will be increased. Today, Ukrainian doctors courageously fight for the lives and health of Ukrainians.
And so their salaries should be equal to those of fighters on the frontline.
It is important that the development costs remain. They are a necessary driver for our economy, which can’t be depleted.
To the extent possible, the government has saved education, sports and culture expenditures. Yes, not everything could be saved. But it is a temporary saving, only for the time of quarantine. Once the quarantine is completed, the expenditures of each industry will be restored.
It is proposed to create a clear and transparent stabilization fund. It will be used to support doctors, teachers, retirees, workers dismissed due to the quarantine, and help Ukrainian businesses.
I would like to point out separately the decision of the Servant of the People party to completely abandon the budget financing and to give all these funds to the needs of Ukrainian doctors. I urge other political parties to do the same.
In general, we all need to understand - we will not be able to completely do without budget cuts. And today, most countries in the world do so.
Let's consider both this and all isolation restrictions as a temporary inconvenience.
Because our number one task is to save people as much as possible. Coronavirus will surely pass and we will have a lot of work ahead. We will all have to build a prosperous country. A country of forty, not twenty million people. I'm not frightening anyone right now, but it's time to realize it's not a joke.
Today, there are three scenarios. First. Three to five percent of patients with coronavirus simultaneously. These are painful numbers. But such a scenario is not a disaster. Therefore, we must be disciplined: continue self-isolation, observe the rules of hygiene and refrain from going outside without necessity. Then we will survive this storm. The second scenario. 25% of patients. The third is over 50% of coronavirus patients simultaneously. Our medical system will not withstand the second and the third scenario. Our doctors will not withstand the simultaneous inflow of so many patients. Everyone should realize that quarantine is not a vacation. Sunny weather, parks, beaches, barbecues will all wait. All this is nothing compared to your own health and life.
Therefore, dear citizens, please continue to stay home and do not go out without necessity. No matter how much you want to. Stay home.
Tonight Ukraine went on daylight saving time. I believe that very soon, due to unity and cohesion, we will all switch to a healthy and happy time.
Keep well, fellow Ukrainians!
I wish you 36.6! Take care of ourselves! Save Ukraine!