These days the year is marked with the imposition of the current blockade of Donbass by the current authorities. When deciding, the authorities “sold” their usual mantra on patriotism and assured that the blockade would harm self-proclaimed “republics”. In fact, it harmed the whole of Ukraine.

The decision on the blockade made the life of people even harder on both sides of the conflict line, increased the deficit of energy carriers, severed production cycles, increased the cost of coal, which is now imported from South Africa and the United States. The country lost 1% of GDP growth – UAH 30 billion, a drop in industrial production and an increase in the foreign trade deficit of $ 2.5 billion, according to the estimates of the authorities themselves. In reality, this indicator is significantly worse.

Today it is obvious that the blockade of Donbass is not just a mistake, it is an anti-state decision taken because of the weakness of the current government, contrary to the recommendations of the G7 countries. The appeals of international partners were ignored by the authorities to please their political course for militarization and exclusion of Donetsk and Luhansk regions from the socio-political life of the country.

A year later, the G7 estimates were confirmed by numbers. The head of the EU Delegation in Ukraine, Hugues Mingarelli, says that Ukraine has paid a huge social and economic price for the decision to blockade; it contributed to the weakening of the economy. According to experts, budgets of all levels and the Pension Fund have lost UAH 12 billion.

In addition to intensifying the humanitarian catastrophe, worsening the already hard life of people in Donbass, the economic losses of the country, the decision of the authorities to blockade created conditions for criminal smuggling business in trade with Separate districts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, which is now flourishing.

The authorities even more alienated their declared false goal – the unification of the country and the return of Donbass. The economic reintegration of uncontrolled territories, recorded in the Minsk Agreements, is in fact becoming a disintegration. The country lost a year of growth, the blockade continues to harm the interests of the state and its citizens.

After winning the elections, we will cancel the blockade of Donbass, ensure a political settlement of the conflict and return peace to Ukraine. We will abolish all decisions that harm people, the economy and the peaceful development of the country.