Kyiv, 13 March 2014 \u2013 Speaking at the press briefing at the Ukrainian Crisis Media Center, Georgian reformer and businessman Kakha Bendukidze said that Ukraine needs painful reforms. \u201cUkraine will have to go through painful reforms to survive, otherwise the country will be lost\u201d, – said Mr. Bendukidze.<\/p>\n
The Georgian reformer stated that Ukraine should quit the practice of subsidizing unviable enterprises which consume tremendous amounts of natural gas and make this country energy-dependent. \u201cIf you don\u2019t abolish this terrible social policy, which includes unthoughtful subsidies, and if you don\u2019t strengthen the army, you will have to say good bye to your country\u201d, commented Mr. Bendukidze, \u201cthe subsidies create another black hole in the economy which devours resources and doesn\u2019t create anything.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr. Bendukidze believes that abandoning gas subsidies is the price Ukraine needs to pay for its independence. \u201cCheap gas is a drug you are addicted to, which you need to give up\u201d, he commented, \u201cthe lower the gas price is, the easier it is for the enterprises to exist the way they did in the past, with no perspectives, no upgrades and no development.\u201d<\/p>\n
Answering the question about the need to fight corruption in Ukraine, Bendukidze said: \u201cGather up your courage and get rid of the things you don\u2019t need.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kakha Bendukidze is a Georgian reformer, businessman and philanthropist. During 2004-2007, when he was a Minister of Economic Reforms, Georgia became the top-reforming country in the world, according to the World Bank’s Doing Business report. In particular, Georgia jumped from 137 to 11 on the ease of doing business scale.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"