The government team of the leader of the People's Front has failed to launch a healthcare reform, restore order at the border, and pay tribute to the Crimean Tatars.
Today, Arseniy Yatsenyuk and his ministers plan to report to the Verkhovna Rada on their work over the past year. There's no doubt the prime minister has compiled a long list of his accomplishments and contributions to the people. It's quite possible he'll also mention a few shortcomings. But just in case, DS has compiled its own list of Arseniy Yatsenyuk's key promises that he has yet to fulfill.
1. Privatization. Back in 2014, Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk promised that 2015 would see Ukraine undergo the largest privatization in 20 years, which would attract significant funds to the budget for national development. In May of this year, the Cabinet of Ministers approved a list of assets subject to privatization, but further approval of this document, including for key state-owned enterprises, by the State Property Fund and ministries, dragged on for another six months. Meanwhile, the corresponding bill (No. 2319a) has still not been adopted by the Verkhovna Rada. Its last review was rejected on December 8. As a result, the state treasury received only approximately 140 million hryvnias from privatization this year, which is approximately 1% of the government's plans.
2. Insurance medicine. Presenting his action plan to parliament in December 2014, Yatsenyuk assured that he would soon initiate the implementation of insurance-based healthcare in Ukraine. In February of this year, the Ministry of Health submitted a corresponding draft law for public review. Nine months have passed since then, and the document still hasn't been submitted to the Verkhovna Rada for consideration. Meanwhile, Arseniy Yatsenyuk has repeatedly criticized Health Minister Oleksandr Kvitashvili for his slow pace and threatened to fire him, but nothing has happened.
3. Recertification of judges. Success in addressing the issue of cleansing the domestic judicial system depends largely on the efforts of Yatsenyuk's old friend and subordinate, Justice Minister Pavlo Petrenko. At his instigation, the prime minister promised about a year ago to recertify all 9 judges serving in Ukrainian courts. The necessary bill, "On Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts Regarding the Modernization of the State Apparatus and the Simplification of the Provision of Administrative Services" (No. 4322a), passed its first reading long ago, but has not progressed beyond that. However, the Cabinet of Ministers is not particularly rushing the deputies to resolve this issue.
4. Development of the border. Arseniy Yatsenyuk launched the infamous "Wall" project back in September 2014. The main work was planned for 2015, and the State Border Development Agency would be responsible for it. Its creation was scheduled for the first quarter of this year. But already, three weeks before the end of the year, it can be said that the government has failed in this area. First, the aforementioned agency has still not been created, and the functions it was supposed to perform were ultimately assigned to the State Border Service. However, the Cabinet of Ministers only made the corresponding decision in mid-November. Second, Yatsenyuk's team gave the State Border Service three entire months to develop a "Reconstruction and Development of the State Border" program, scheduled to run until 2020. And this, it should be remembered, is happening in a country that has been at war with its neighbor for two years.
5. Benefits for ATO participants. One of the key points in Arseniy Yatsenyuk's government program for the current year was concern for those defending Ukraine in the war in Donbas. Formally, the Cabinet of Ministers fulfilled this requirement by ensuring the adoption of the Law "On Amendments to Certain Laws of Ukraine Regarding State Support for Combat Veterans and Their Children..." Specifically, this document guarantees representatives of this category free university education, provision of necessary materials, scholarships, and preferential education loans. However, in order for ATO fighters and their children to receive these benefits, the Cabinet of Ministers was required to develop and approve a special state target program. Moreover, the law clearly set a deadline for adopting such a program—within a month (May-June). However, for some reason, Yatsenyuk's team failed to do so.
6. Lustration. Another point on Yatsenyuk's 2015 agenda is the implementation of the "Law on the Purification of Power" by the end of the year. This also gives the prime minister something to manipulate public opinion with. For example, the official figure of approximately 600 officials who have lost their positions under the law. However, numerous examples indicate that the overall lustration process, which began in Ukraine in late 2014, has failed. This is confirmed by the fact that approximately 80% of judges dismissed in accordance with the "Law on the Purification of Power" ultimately returned to their positions. A similar situation is observed in the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Security Service of Ukraine, and the Prosecutor's Office, where former Yanukovych servants have been dismissed and then reassigned. The most striking example is the experience of former Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Vasyl Paskal. Earlier this year, his dismissal was blocked by a court decision. Although Pascal was ultimately fired, just a week later, in November, he received a new position—First Deputy Chief of the National Police. He would still be working there if not for the public outcry surrounding the personnel decision.
7. "Crimean House". Seeking support from the Crimean Tatars, Arseniy Yatsenyuk promised to establish a full-fledged social and cultural center in Kyiv—the "Crimean House." This would be a clear sign that the government values the contribution of this ethnic minority to the struggle for Ukraine's independence and is willing to demonstrate its respect in practice. The corresponding decree was signed last year, but further implementation of the project was hampered by a lack of funding. In April 2015, Yatsenyuk instructed Finance Minister Natalia Yaresko to find funding for the "Crimean House," but the funds for its development remain unavailable.
Without a doubt, the "successes" of Yatsenyuk and his government could be included in a top 10 or even top 20. The prime minister often complains that his government is a coalition, making it difficult for him to manage its appetites. He's right in some ways. However, if you want to go down in history as a reformer, prove you can build a team. Today, there's talk of reforming the Cabinet of Ministers. Ministries will be squeezed, their functions will be redistributed, and so on. But who's to say that, if he remains at the helm, in six months Arseniy Petrovich won't again claim that someone or something is holding him back.
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