Dear journalists, friends, colleagues! \n \nWhen I stood on the Maidan on January 23 of this year and delivered my inaugural address, I spoke about the fact that Ukraine would have a professional government, an honest government that would work day and night in the interests of Ukrainians and the state, a government that would work as one team, I repeat, honestly, openly and professionally. \n \nTo this end, I brought in people who had gone through dozens of rallies, meetings with the community, who stood beside me on the Maidan of Independence in Kyiv, people who helped cast aside the old corrupt government and made it possible to create a free Ukraine. These were dedicated people, without whom our successes, I am convinced, would have been impossible last autumn. \n \nI repeat that 9 months ago I proposed to the Ukrainian parliament Yulia Volodymyrivna Tymoshenko for the post of Prime Minister, appointed Petro Oleksiyovych Poroshenko as Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council, and appointed Oleksandr Oleksiyovych Zinchenko as State Secretary of Ukraine. These people ran my election campaign — some came to me in 2002, some came a few months before the end of the election campaign or during the election campaign. For me these are extraordinary people, they are my friends, and frankly speaking, many of the things I will discuss below will be difficult to talk about. But I understand that this conversation is overdue, because what is at stake is not the interests of relations with the Government, the NSDC or the State Secretary, but we see how the processes that were the very goal, strictly speaking, for the voters, are being rolled back. I knew that certain misunderstandings existed between these people. I am convinced that these are details, episodes that occur with anyone, especially with such interesting and extraordinary people. I am convinced that every great person has problems. I perceived these problems as a temporary phenomenon. I hoped that if everyone took up their own burden, there would not be enough time for mutual intrigues, for the formation of PR or anti-PR between certain political forces of the single coalition. These were my hopes. \n \nMoreover, I want to say that I gave my colleagues enormous powers stemming from the Constitution of Ukraine. I am convinced that the powers that today were held by either the NSDC Secretary, or the State Secretary, or the Prime Minister, are powers that none of the analogous officials had before — starting from forming the structure, forming the apparatus. I do not recall that after the enormous work was done to form the foundations of the activity of one or another institution, when all the basic documents were signed, I do not recall that anyone was dissatisfied. But every day I increasingly became a witness to how between these institutions there first came confrontation, then serious conflicts. Then mutual behind-the-scenes intrigues, which began to be transferred onto the foundation of state policy. I became a witness to how, in essence, every day I had to intervene in conflicts arising between the NSDC and the Government, between the State Secretary and the NSDC, between the Government and the Verkhovna Rada — in a word, these conflicts have already become the daily agenda of the government's work. I am convinced that my friends, who were endowed with such unique trust of the people and such unprecedented powers, could uniquely use this resource for the benefit of their work. I was also convinced that people who hold such high state positions understand the burden of state responsibility, and therefore I believed that they were obliged to hear each other and reach agreement — that is their duty. \n \nThe President should not be a nanny between them in order to reconcile relations. Although, frankly speaking, I did this willingly, because I understood that this was a matter of state importance. Although I was sorry to spend time on things that were not constructive. But such is reality. I repeat — these quarrels continued, positional wars intensified. Moreover, these wars intensified according to the principle of "two Ukrainians — three hetmans." An atmosphere of election campaign began to be felt... one wanted to go to Kyiv, another wanted to go to Kyiv, a third wanted to go to Lviv, a fourth wanted to reshuffle political forces, lure other partners into the coalition for elections — in a word, I became a witness to the fact that when I hold a meeting, trust among my partners is zero. That after each meeting, afterwards, the parties went out to some other levels, agreed on the foundations of a different policy, and the country descended into scandal. The latest scandal at the NFS. I remember how my Friday last week ended, when we became witnesses to how a unique court decision, which was very difficult for us, but a unique honest court decision, through behind-the-scenes intrigues that were conducted — and conducted not only in Ukraine but, painfully, outside Ukraine — the matter was brought to a conflict, when people came out to the square. This despite the fact that we have a thorough, deeply correct court decision. But the finale of the story was precisely not about how to transfer an enterprise from the hands of one gang to the state, but it turned out as transferring from one gang to another gang. And therefore people received the right to protest. I am convinced that the moment has come when my colleagues have lost their team spirit and faith. I say this with bitterness. Because these people remain my friends regardless of circumstances. I will value them, but I must say this. \n \nFor 8 months the President of Ukraine was a peacemaker among these institutions. I almost never spoke about this publicly. I believed that this was my karma, which I must bear. And Ukraine at that time was losing pace, including economic pace. I think that the members of my team listened to the President but did not hear. And today, however difficult it may be, I must cut this Gordian knot in the name of Ukraine. On the Maidan, on August 24, Independence Day, I promised my fellow officials in power... We became witnesses to how many new faces appeared in power, but a paradox occurred — the face of power did not change. The country is again being accused of corruption, the country is again being accused of the absence of public processes in the economy, including privatization ones. We are becoming witnesses to how processes that could have been significantly democratized are entering yesterday's track. Look at the operation of the tax system, the customs system — we are becoming witnesses to growing populism... From morning to evening we are witnesses to, you know, such frivolous, sweet promises, which will become harder and harder to fulfill every day. The decisions characteristic of this year — economic, social — can be made once. You cannot repeat them a second time without economic changes. But we have become witnesses to the fact that no social package is being proposed for 2006 — neither in terms of social burdens, nor in terms of social reform, nor in terms of education, nor in terms of medicine. We are preserving for another 12 months the stagnation that existed in this sector. I cannot accept this, friends. I am convinced that the reason for this was a failure to understand the significance of state interests. The inability to work exclusively for the citizen, for the state as the highest preference for a civil servant. What came to the forefront of the executive system of power was PR of oneself, or of a political force, or PR of a political position. \n \nI am convinced that this must be put to an end. I see that some officials have become so carried away by this PR that there is no longer enough time for productive conversation. They can no longer imagine life without cameras. Although I have always advocated and will continue to advocate for the public work of government — whether the NSDC or the Cabinet of Ministers — but friends, this is done after the work is done. We must not drag the country into dangerous promises, into dangerous populism. I am convinced, dear friends, that a year ago I ran for President not so that key state institutions would lack understanding and would not find agreement and mutual respect among themselves. It was not for this that I have been going around without my own face for a year now. I am convinced that it was not for this that millions of people stood on the Maidans. And I cannot pretend that nothing is happening. Today I must tell my fellow citizens that I must take radical steps to change the leadership of the Government, the NSDC and the Presidential Secretariat. I repeat, I want from now on to see the highest state institutions in the system of work of a single team, working so that people have jobs, better salaries, better schools, better medicine, so that people feel that the government works in agreement and harmony, and the state — in calm and stability. Therefore I am signing a Decree on the resignation of the Government, on the resignation of the NSDC Secretary, and a few days ago, on the basis of the resignation statement submitted by Zinchenko, I appointed Oleh Borysovych Rybachuk as State Secretary of Ukraine. \n \n