Priorities in coal and the price of their underestimation

Nowadays it is much said about coal industry but, unfortunately, little that is being done.

In all of industries there is a discussion of the governmental program the “Ukrainian gap: for the sake of people but not politicians”. There was such discussion in the Ukrainian house on January 15, 2008. But no one of the PEK representatives were asked to speak. But as classic said that in any chain (in our case the program of government) it is needed to find a main part seizing of which may pull out all chain. Such link for Ukraine is PEK countries– coal above all things. This is important especially today in the presence of many difficulties with the gas supply, oil products and raw materials for the by-product-coking industry.

In the press appeared lot of pronouncements of President of country V. Yushchenko and a leader of government Y. Tymoshenko about the value of coal for the economy of Ukraine and about its power independence. It is nice. Public board attached to Minvugleprom attentively considered the draft of the program of government of Ukraine and made many useful suggestions and above all things concerning the organization implementation of functioning programs which operate, normative documents for overcoming of lag of coal industry work its further development, motivation of miner's labor and creation of safe and healthy working conditions. Once again we remind that it is needed to complete building only a single mine № 10 “Novovolyns’ka” which is being built for almost 20 years and to embark on planning of three new mines. By the way presently there are 67 coal areas where it is possible to building mines.

But today the decision about the beginning of new mines planning is not accepted and the first starting complex of mine № 10 “Novovolynska” in 2008 year is planned to have 3 times less financing than in 2007, which is 20% from the necessary financing volume. Concerning this a government and Minvugleprom of Ukraine must urgently say a word. One must not use the stick and the carrot policy but a clever state intervention of a government in this problem and to solve this problem during the correction of budget of 2008 in the first quarter.

Mykola SURGAY