The Cabinet of Ministers once again sounded the alarm about its “openness”. This time, the government approved the Priority Action Plan – almost 400 steps that will supposedly determine the future of Ukraine in 2025. But there is one problem: the plan itself remains behind a dense veil of fog. The public heard only general words, without details, without implementation mechanisms, without answers to obvious questions. Transparency? Yes, but only in the sense that there are so few details that they simply do not exist. The government once again proved that strategic decisions are not made for society, but somewhere on the sidelines, where “priority actions” remain known only to their authors.
A plan from the government and almost 400 concrete steps
As reported Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, on February 18, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the Plan of Priority Actions for 2025, which contains almost 400 specific steps in the areas of responsibility of all ministries and agencies. According to him, the document provides obligations to international partners, including under the Ukraine Facility program, cooperation with the IMF, as well as measures necessary for European integration. Shmyhal emphasizes that the plan defines those responsible, prescribes deadlines, and also sets clear performance evaluation indicators. This is all the information provided to the public. However, the details of the plan itself remain unknown to the public.
At the same time, the representative of the Cabinet of Ministers in the Verkhovna Rada, Taras Melnychuk, said a little more about this plan, who noted that the plan includes the implementation of tasks aimed at solving socially important problems caused by the armed aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, and the implementation of which is necessary for the recovery of Ukraine during the period of martial law and in the post-war period.
In addition, according to Melnychuk, the document provides for the fulfillment of Ukraine’s international legal obligations, in particular within the framework of the European integration process, in accordance with the Report on the progress of Ukraine within the framework of the 2024 European Union Enlargement Package and screening reports based on the results of bilateral negotiations between Ukraine and the EU within the negotiation process on Ukraine’s accession to the EU. The government also included among its priorities the tasks related to cooperation with the IMF, the implementation of the EU initiative “Ukraine Facility”, the implementation of the Plan of legislative work of the Verkhovna Rada for 2025, measures to bring membership in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development closer, as well as the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.
400 Unknown Steps: What’s Inside?
Every self-respecting government likes to write plans. This is such a universal political practice: when there is nothing to brag about today, one must think of how everything will be great tomorrow. The main thing is not to delve into details, because numbers and facts can cause uncomfortable questions. It was on this principle that the Cabinet of Ministers approved this next Plan of Priority Actions with its 400 steps.
Sounds impressive, right? The government is acting, everything is under control, each ministry has received its share of tasks. But there is one nuance: society has not seen either the document itself or the mechanisms for its implementation. Ukrainians were invited to take their word for it that this plan contains everything necessary for the prosperity of the country. True, faith is wonderful, but it is not a good substitute for the transparency that officials like to flaunt.
We were told that the 400 steps of this plan are not just a set of beautiful phrases, but a clear strategy in which everything is thought out to the smallest detail. The government assured: responsible persons have been identified, deadlines have been set, and performance evaluation will be carried out according to clear indicators. Sounds very organized. But if everything is so clearly laid out, why didn’t anyone show this document to the citizens?
From the scanty information that was provided to us, it is obvious that the main addressee of this plan is not Ukrainians, but international partners. The government does not hide that a significant part of the obligations is prescribed in accordance with the Ukraine Facility program, IMF requirements and European integration agreements. So, while the public is being told in general terms that everything will be fine, more specific numbers and calculations are being prepared for Brussels, Washington and other key donors.
In an ideal world, the government should present a document available for analysis by experts, economists, journalists and citizens. However, in the real world, we were simply told that there is an important plan in which “all aspects of the country’s development are taken into account.” Although they are not specified, it can be assumed that among these 400 items there are measures for economic recovery, social protection, overcoming the consequences of war, judicial reform, and fighting corruption. But whether there are real mechanisms for their implementation is a big question. Are there specific dates and responsible persons listed? Is it just another “improvement” declared, which will disappear under the rubble of bureaucracy?
It is not the first time that the government has resorted to this approach: instead of an open presentation, a set of loud slogans and statements about the importance of the decisions made is offered. In fact, the Cabinet of Ministers acts according to a long-established scheme: the impression of active work is created, but society receives only general rhetoric. While the prime minister solemnly announces another strategic breakthrough, ordinary citizens can only guess what awaits them in the future.
If this plan really determines the development of the country in the current year, why is it not public? Why can’t Ukrainians assess how well these items meet their real needs? Does it talk about raising taxes, reducing social benefits, and privatizing strategic enterprises? Are there any guarantees that the government will not default or have a financial crisis?
So far, the government offers Ukrainians only blind trust. But they are already tired of playing the role of extras in public administration. Ukraine deserves not only beautiful words about reforms and strategic steps, but also real openness. If the government is really confident in its 400 points, why not just show them?
Closed government in a democratic country: a new level of “transparency”
Government openness in Ukraine has long since turned into a ritual dance: lots of talk about transparency, but no desire to share the real details of the decisions made. Instead of available information, there are nicely wrapped phrases about strategic priorities and effective management. Instead of specifics, there are vague formulations that can be interpreted in any way. Ukrainians are once again offered the role of patient spectators who should listen to official statements, but not ask uncomfortable questions.
The authorities assure that 400 government steps will change the country, but are in no hurry to explain what exactly will change. It’s like waiting for a train, not knowing the schedule, the route, or even whether it will arrive at all. In this situation, citizens have to either believe that wise strategists who know where they are leading the country are sitting somewhere in the offices of power, or accept the reality: decisions are made behind closed doors, without discussion, without feedback, without taking into account the real needs of society.
The consequences of such an approach are predictable. Lack of openness breeds suspicion, mistrust and speculation. When people do not know what reforms the government is preparing, they are forced to guess or believe rumors. Society cannot control the processes that determine its future, because these processes are hidden behind the political smoke of general promises. And so, whenever the government talks about “openness,” it’s worth remembering that it’s just a word that means nothing until it’s backed up by real action.
It turns out that the government simply does not consider it necessary to reckon with the people. Its decisions are made somewhere in closed offices, and society can only ascertain the facts after the fact. While citizens try to understand what exactly awaits them, the political elites play their game, where unnecessary questions are superfluous and responsibility is blurred to the level of general phrases.
No one considers it necessary to explain why important decisions are made without public discussion. No one asks society what it really needs. People are simply faced with the fact: here is a new plan, here are new rules, here are new obligations to international partners – fulfill them. And what is in the document itself, what are the real consequences for the country, what to expect tomorrow is none of your business.
This practice becomes systemic. The authorities are increasingly distancing themselves from citizens, making decisions in their own closed circle. The irony is that such actions completely contradict the principles of democracy, which the officials themselves like to talk about in their speeches. They call society for unity, but they themselves do not consider it necessary to share information. They talk about transparency, but they themselves build a wall between themselves and those they are supposed to represent.
Therefore, the people ceases to be the subject of state formation and turns into a silent observer who is placed in front of already made decisions. The government is effectively telling the public: “we know better.” And while this management model remains unchanged, Ukrainians are forced to wait for new surprises every time, which the authorities prepare for them in the next non-public decisions.
Political closure costs the country dearly. It leads to the fact that important decisions are made behind the scenes, and society learns about them after the fact, when nothing can be changed. This further distances the government from the citizens and turns democratic principles into decoration. Yes, the government can write hundreds of strategies, promise economic breakthroughs, build grandiose plans – but without real openness, all these documents remain only bureaucratic manifestos, detached from real life.
Transparency is not a slogan in the prime minister’s speeches, but a real mechanism of interaction between the government and society. In Ukraine, this mechanism works selectively: when it is necessary to report to international partners, documents strangely become detailed and specific. But when it comes to citizens, the authorities stubbornly turn on the “nothing extra” mode. With such a policy, Ukrainians will learn about the real consequences of the decisions made not from official sources, but from their own wallets, tariffs and regular cuts in social programs.
As long as the government continues to play “strategic transparency”, society continues to live in conditions of information starvation. Do such actions of his increase the level of trust in the authorities? Of course not. Moreover, every such decision made in the “none of your business” mode only deepens the gap between the government and society. Ukrainians have long learned to read between the lines of official statements and understand that behind the beautiful words about transparency, another set of backroom agreements is often hidden. And if the government stubbornly avoids publicity, then it has something to hide.
The level of trust in the government is already critically low, but it doesn’t seem to bother anyone. On the contrary, officials continue to act according to the principle: “the less you know, the better you sleep.” The less the public knows about the government’s real plans, the easier it is to manipulate sentiment. The only problem is that this strategy has not worked for a long time. Ukrainians are no longer ready to blindly believe the statements of politicians, especially when their promises collide with reality.
Closedness, decision-making without discussion, lack of clear explanations – all this only increases suspicions. The more the government avoids specifics, the more citizens begin to believe that something is being hidden from them. And this is the perfect recipe for even deeper mistrust.
