KIEV, Jan. 17 – President Viktor Yanukovych, in surprise remarks on Thursday, accused undisclosed government officials of sabotaging economic reforms and urged Prime Minister Mykola Azarov to quickly address the problem.

The remarks come less than a month after a major government reshuffle and re-appointment of Azarov to the post following parliamentary elections on October 28.

Yanukovych said that reforms in some sectors were implemented only by 25-35%, an extremely low level, suggesting that some officials may have been intentionally slowing them down.

“I understand that one can get less resources or have some miscalculations and can miss the target by 10-20%, not more than that,” Yanukovych said addressing the government. “But how can you implement it by 25-30%? This is sabotage. This simply means that people have lost responsibility.”

This is the first major criticism of the government in more than a year and comes amid expectations that economic environment will probably worsen in 2013.

After winning the presidency in February 2010, Yanukovych pledged to launch a number of “radical reforms” in every sector of the economy that would within decade catapult Ukraine to the top 20 most developed countries in the world.

But the latest remarks show that the reforms have been moving very slowly.

For example, reforms in the energy sector have implemented by 25%, while housing and utilities reforms have been implemented by 35%, according to the presidential administration.

Other sectors have been doing somewhat better. Reforms in the state governance were implemented by 65%, in the state finances sector by 69% and healthcare by 74%.

“Poor level of discipline has become the main problem on the way of reforms,” Iryna Akimova, the first chief of staff and Yanukovych’s top economic advisor, said.

Yanukovych urged Azarov to be more persistent in getting the reforms done and check upon the progress more often, perhaps every few months.

“I would ask you, Mykola Yanovych [Azarov], to change the world style and check on progress systemically, make conclusions and don’t wait until the end of the year,” Yanukovych said.

“If this is a matter of personnel reshuffle, please, let’s review it together,” he said. “That’s my responsibility too.”

As a big target, he said Ukraine should improve its investment climate and improve its World Bank business rating dramatically in 2014.

“Ukraine must next year enter the top 100 countries in terms of easiness of doing business,” Yanukovych said. “That’s the task. But I am sure we could do even better.”

Ukraine rose to No. 137 in 2012 from No. 152 in 2011 as measured by the World Bank in terms of easiness of doing business. There were 183 countries monitored overall.

Azarov will have to prepare and submit to Parliament by the end of February a government program outlining ways of improving economic and social situation in Ukraine, Yanukovych said. (tl/ez)