President Viktor Yanukovych of Ukraine hopes for stable economic growth this year. He stated this at Friday's meeting of the Governing Council of the Committee on Economic Reforms.

"Stabilization of the many areas of the economy gives us hope that we will provide economic growth," the president said.

Yanukovych also stressed that the preceding period was stabilizing in terms of creating an effective system of government. "The shifts that have been in the economy gave hope that you and I have chosen the right path," he said noting that there has been growth in GDP, reduction of budget deficits.

At the same time Yanukovych emphasized that positive developments in the national economy should improve the social sphere. "Social area is our responsibility. We must do everything to ensure that our citizens fully made use of the positive things that are in the economy. That is, we should raise social standards, do everything to make people feel more positive on the steps that we do," he said.

The president also demands that Prime Minister Mykola Azarov complete deregulation of the economy and said that he expects the head of the government's forecast on the completion of tax reform.

UKRINFORM