Presidente da Ucrânia durante os eventos por ocasião do 70º aniversário da Empresa Estatal Antonov: Nossa tarefa comum é elevar a Ucrânia ao status do produtor mundial de aviões (em inglês)
03 junho 2016 16:19
President Petro Poroshenko visited Antonov State Enterprise and congratulated its staff on the 70th anniversary of the enterprise.
The Head of State thanked the workers of the plant for a firm belief in the revival of the Ukrainian aviation and aircraft manufacturing. “You are the pride of Ukraine. That is why I am here today, on the day of your 70th anniversary. I am pleased to see your eyes full of inspiration and belief that we will revive the Ukrainian aircraft production,” he said.
According to the President, there are all grounds for optimism. Antonov signed new contracts on the supply of aircrafts to Saudi Arabia and reached similar arrangement with Azerbaijan. The Ministry of Defense orders national aircrafts as well.
The Head of State emphasized that over the past year, the enterprise had done a lot for self-development despite difficult conditions. As a result, average salary of the staff has been increased. “Even when Russia, as country-aggressor, closed its market for our products and terminated the supply of components, we didn’t give up! We remained unbroken. We entered new markets and learned to represent Ukraine in an absolutely different way,” the President noted.
Another achievement is the first commercial flight of giant Ukrainian aircraft “Mriya” to Australia. “There is no better way to announce oneself as a powerful aviation state. Wherever over Mriya landed, thousands of people with Ukrainian flags were saying “Ukraine. Antonov”. This is your work. This is what we achieved,” the President said.
The Head of State emphasized that except achievements in aircraft construction, Antonov staff has other accomplishments as well – about 300 workers of the plant participated in the ATO. “You delegated the best workers to rebuff the attack,” Petro Poroshenko noted.
The President emphasized that he would do everything to avoid next waves of mobilization: “We have increased money supply of Ukrainian warriors significantly. 30 thousand servicemen have already become contractors,” he stated.
“I am proud that we have a different army now. It is not a coincidence that I have declared 2016 the year of the Air Forces of Ukraine,” Petro Poroshenko stressed.
The President also noted that he used aircrafts An-74 and An-148 produced by Antonov. “It is a good advertisement for security and technology of planes,” he said.
“Our common task is to transform Ukraine from an aviation state into an aviation player of global level. Taking into account the pace of Antonov planes’ promotion in the world, I have every reason to be sure that we will cope with this task,” the Head of State noted. He is confident that aircraft manufacturing can become a strategic sphere of the Ukrainian economy.
