Economy

Free 3000 km by Ukrzaliznytsia for every Ukrainian: first reaction of MPs

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has announced a support program for citizens, under which everyone will be able to receive 3,000 free kilometers for traveling on Ukrzaliznytsia.

He said this in a video message, reports [Kommersant].

“I have instructed to work out a special program of transport support for all Ukrainians, and there are already proposals from Ukrzaliznytsia – UZ-3000. Three thousand kilometers, so that everyone can choose railway routes within Ukraine for free: Lviv – Kyiv, Kyiv – Dnipro, any other. Three thousand kilometers for free,” the President said.

The details of the program are currently being worked out.

“The program is currently being worked out, and since our state supports the passenger transportation sector, the company must give a tangible response to people – the funds used really serve society,” the president added.

MP Yaroslav Zheleznyak responded to the President’s initiative.

“In the summer, during the budget process, government officials come running with crazy eyes and shouting: give money for UZ urgently, otherwise there will be a collapse (it’s true). In August, the Rada takes money from Kyiv and transfers UAH 8 billion to the Reserve Fund. This means that it is domestic money and could have been sent to the army. october 23 The Cabinet of Ministers allocates UAH 8 billion to finance Ukrzaliznytsia; during the budget process, the Ministry of Infrastructure and members of the relevant committee shout that UZ is in trouble and urgently needs money at least to operate. on November 1, the president announces free transportation for 3000 thousand kilometers for everyone. Once again: for everyone…. without privileged categories, we just give free transportation to the entire population,” the MP wrote.

Zheleznyak asks a rhetorical question: “How? Why?”.

Earlier [Kommersant] wrote earlier that after 2014, Ukrzaliznytsia was supposed to become a symbol of the public sector’s purification. The change of management, the introduction of supervisory boards, and the arrival of independent directors were all perceived as a step towards reform. But, as market participants recognize, ten years later the company has not gotten rid of its “corruption legend”.

“Ukrzaliznytsia is a strategic artery of the country, without which not only the economy but also military logistics will come to a standstill. However, today the company is on the verge of systemic collapse. The absence of a financial plan, personnel chaos, broken management, uncontrolled tariff increases, and chronic inefficiency pose a real threat not only to business but also to national security.

Mykola Velychkovych, a member of the Parliamentary Committee on Transport and Infrastructure, confirms that the crisis at Ukrzaliznytsia is not a consequence of the war, but the result of years of inaction.

According to him, the company has not implemented any of the announced structural reforms.

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