Speaking at today’s NSDC meeting President Yushchenko emphasized importance of speeding up agrarian reform. “There is no other more unreformed sector as agriculture is”, - said Victor Yushchenko.
President Yushchenko criticized Government’s agrarian policy in 2008, particularly for excessively large imports of meat and imposition of ban on exports of grain. “Why did producers of agricultural goods were banned to sell grain the year we had the largest harvest?” - he said.
Victor Yushchenko also said that he would not sign the bill allowing the Agrarian Fund to purchase petrol or agricultural equipment and machinery, should it is voted in the Verkhovna Rada. He explained that Agrarian Fund’s main function is to regulate pricing at agrarian market with market instruments. “I will not sign any law that makes Agrarian Fund managing problems beyond those listed in its statute”, - said Victor Yushchenko.
“I would like to emphasize again – there were Prime Ministers, who colored petrol; there were Prime Ministers, who bought Russian combine harvesters for three billion; I can recall other projects that fell into oblivion”, - he said adding that these are attempts of setting manual regulation of agrarian sector.
