The Eurocommissioner Piebalgs on Ukraine’s integration in Euro power system

News / 28 February 2006 | 17:43

In the course of the Ukrainian Energy Sector presentation in Brussels, Andris Piebalgs Eurocommissioner for Energy, announced that the European Commission studies the possibilities to integrate Ukrainian and European power systems. Ukraine’s aim is to get completely integration in the European power system, he noted.

The Eurocommissioner stressed that Ukraine may reach European markets only by having its standards improved. He confirmed the European support for Ukrainian initiative:”This process will be backed by TASIS-EU program.”

Ukraine must work in accordance with the European standards of security if it wants to sell its electricity in Europe, Mr. Piebalgs mentioned.

“The reformation of gas market is necessary as well,” concluded the Eurocommissioner.

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OSCE Chairman to visit Ukraine

News / 28 February 2006 | 17:05

March 6, OSCE Chairman Belgian Foreign Minister Karel De Gucht will arrive in Ukraine.

He is to meet President of Ukraine Victor Yushchenko, Ukraine PM Yuri Yekhanurov and Foreign Minister Borys Tarasyuk. In the course of the meetings the sides plan to discuss the Ukrainian-Belgian cooperation within the context of Belgian presidency in OSCE.

The main attention is set to be focused on the improvement of OSCE institution effectiveness and bi- and multilateral mechanisms of “frozen conflicts” settlement within the Euro-Atlantic area.

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Kushnaryov’s attorney calls President of Ukraine to protect his client

News / 28 February 2006 | 16:51

Speaking at the press conference, Vyacheslav Stovba, Kushnaryov’s attorney, asked the President of Ukraine to defend the rights of his client.

Stovba reminded President Yushchenko his inauguration promises to create legal state with the supremacy of the law. “I believe you and ask you to use your constitutional power for protection of Ukrainian citizen’s rights – his name is Yevhen P. Kushnaryov,” said Stovba.

He also addressed Oleksandr Medvedko Prosecutor General to terminate the investigation of the Kushnaryov case. As a reminder, Kushnaryov is accused of separatism and violation of the territorial integrity of Ukraine.

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Poland’s military delegation visits Ukraine

News / 28 February 2006 | 15:24

Poland military delegation headed by Defence Minister Sikorsky has arrived in Ukraine, Defence Ministry press service informs.

The consultations were held by Poland Head of the Defence Ministry Radoslav Sikorsky and his Ukrainian counterpart Hrytsenko. The main attention was paid to the prospects of bilateral cooperation in the sphere of defence and multinational projects.

In the course of the meeting the participants discussed the items of medium-term programs of bilateral cooperation and the participation of troops in the multinational projects, such as the formation of Ukraine-Sweden-Poland peacemaking contingent, the coming tactical exercises “Cossack Steppe” and others.

The formation of joint Ukrainian-Polish-Lithuanian peacemaking battalion “UkrPolLitBat” and its possible participation in the international military police battalion were considered by the high military officials.

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UkrGaz-Energo submits documents to National Committee on Energy Regulations

News / 28 February 2006 | 14:04

UkrGaz-Energo, the jointly venture of RosUkrEnergo and Naftogaz, has submitted an application in order to get the free tariff license on gas supply.

 

The National Committee on Energy Regulation (NCER) is chargeable for the procedure, Volodymyr Bryznyuk, the Head of the NCER PR Department told.

According to his word, it is most likely that the application will be considered at NCER session March, 9.

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President of Ukraine welcomes Lech Kaczynski

News / 28 February 2006 | 13:34

In Mariinsky Palace, Victor Yushchenko ceremonially welcomed his Polish counterpart, Lech Kaczynski, who is officially visiting Ukraine on February 28-March 1, and congratulated him on being inaugurated, the President press office informed.

At the moment, the two leaders are meeting face-to-face. They are going to discuss energy issues and then preside over Ukrainian-Polish negotiations.

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US military delegation visits Ukraine

News / 28 February 2006 | 12:24

Today the National Defence Academy of Ukraine hosts “Rapid Trident-2006″ initial planning conference. It regulates the joint US-Ukrainian brigade level command-staff computer exercises.

Brigadier General John Harrell heads the delegation. The envoys of Canadian, German, Belgian, Austrian, Swiss, Greek, Czech, Polish, Latvian, Albanian, Kazakh, Georgian, Kyrgyz, Moldavian, Armenian, Azeri and Russian military delegations take part in the conference.

The main attention of the participants will be paid to the basic documents on planning and conduction of the exercises, forces and funds involved in the project and the general order of all-round provision.

The active stage of the project “Rapid Trident-2006″ will be held within the NATO Partnership for Peace (PfP) which is scheduled on July, 2006. It will take place in the National Defence Academy of Ukraine.

The key target of the exercises is to improve concurrency of the HQs and the divisions of the countries, usage of the practical experience gained in the previous exercises and peaceful operations, to intensify cooperation and mutual understanding of the participants.

Unlike “Peace Shield”, this program will be held without participation of the troops. It will be pure command-staff exercises. The exercises will be finished on March, 2.

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President of Ukraine vetoes three legislations

News / 28 February 2006 | 11:22

President Victor Yushchenko vetoed three laws:

Law on Changes to the Law on Scientific and Technical Activity ;

Law on Changes to Article 9 of the Law on Economic Licensing ;

Law on Changes to Article 2 of the Law on Agricultural Tax .

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Ukraine faces resistance from Austrian regulators

News / 28 February 2006 | 11:10

An attempt by Ukrainian industrialists to buy a provincial bank in Austria is facing resistance from Austrian regulators, who may reject the Ukrainian approach in favour of a politically safer bid by a local company, according to people close to the negotiations, the FT informed.

But Austrian officials are worried that rejection of the Ukrainian bid to buy Bank Burgenland could damage ties with Kiev, particularly since Austria’s Raiffeisen Bank recently became the largest banking group in Ukraine after purchasing Aval Bank.

The Ukrainian bid for Bank Burgenland of �140m (£95m) plus a �100m capital injection is greater than a rival bid of about �105m by the Austrian insurance group Grazer Wechselseitige.

The Ukrainian consortium wants to buy Bank Burgenland, which is being privatised by the Burgenland regional government, and merge it with a small Ukrainian bank, Aktiv Bank. Sergiy Klyuyev, chairman of the Ukrpodshipnik metallurgy group, said the consortium wanted to use Bank Burgenland as a base to expand across central Europe and as a vehicle for trade finance connected to metallurgy exports.

The Burgenland government is anxious the sale goes smoothly because a previous effort to sell the bank last year was mired in scandal.

The Burgenland government is said to be worried at the possibility the FMA, Austria’s financial market regulator, might reject the Ukrainian bid, forcing it to restart the privatisation process.

“We will only start to investigate [the bid] after the sale is completed,” an FMA spokesman said. Austrian law required proof the new owners were capable of a “solid and sustainable bank management”, he added.

The FMA will be under pressure to apply strict standards because approval would, in principle, give the Ukrainian group permission to operate throughout the European Union.

People close to the negotiations said the regulator had several concerns, including a lack of certainty about the would-be buyers’ intentions.

But Mr Klyuyev was confident his group could secure approval.

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President of Ukraine held medical conference

News / 28 February 2006 | 10:36

Victor Yushchenko took part in a grand ceremony to open a nationwide conference of medical workers in Vinnytsya, the President press office informed.

In his speech, the Head of State said it was incumbent on both government and society to globally reform the medical sector. The President said health was one of the key elements of Ukraine’s national security. He reiterated that he had recently signed a decree toacceptHealth Minister Yuriy Polyachenko as a member of the National Security and Defense Council.

 

Addressing the medical workers, the President urged them to discuss a National Action Plan on Health Protection in detail.

 

“I expect an honest conversation about fundamentals of national health reforms. You are the side to which the nation and government appeal,” Yushchenko said.

 

The Head of State remarked that the medical sector needed serious structural changes. On one hand, Ukraine’s medicine should be highly technological but, on the other hand, it must be affordable, he said.

Yushchenko added that we should train family doctors, which work successfully in many European countries. He also insisted on improving medical services in rural areas.The President reminded those present that in 2006 the government would spend UAH 250 mln to equip medical facilities in villages throughout Ukraine. He also hopesdistrict hospitals will be fully reequipped in four-five years.

“We must do it professionally and find partners in government and business,” he said.

The President then pledged to personally control the implementation of national programs to fight HIV/AIDS, TB, cancer, heart and blood disease.

The National Action Plan on Health Protection was worked out by the Health Ministry and medical institutions in accordance with Victor Yushchenko’s Decree on Urgent Measures to Reform the Health System. The Health Minister has recently presented the five-year plan at a cabinet meeting. This documentdefines legislative, structural, administrative and financial changes in the sector and is intent to introduce insurance in our budget medicine.

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