Ukraine’s President accuses political forces of blackmail

News / 31 July 2006 | 16:11

The President of Ukraine Victor Yushchenko meet with his Secretariat’s staff to discuss current political situation, parliament’s turmoil and ways of continuing the all-national round-table discussions, President’s press office reported. Volodymyr Gorbulin, acting Secretary of NSDC was present at the meeting.  

Members of working group for editing draft National Unity Pact from President’s Secretariat reported to the Head of State on the negotiations between them and lawmakers. 

The President was worried over the parliament’s majority choice to use again the language of blackmail instead of unifying around an idea of unity and defending national interests.

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Yanukovich: We share President’s aspirations

News / 31 July 2006 | 14:26

Leader of Party of Regions shares aspirations of the Ukraine’s President to stabilize situation in Ukraine.

“We are sure that offering the roundtable the President of Ukraine aspired to stabilization of the political situation in Ukraine. And we support this. We consider that political forces always must aspire to stabilization of political situation,” Yanukovich said on the press conference.

According to him, new formed coalition is ready to sign the Universal, but there are still some arguable points.

Speaking about possibility of dismissal of the parliament, Yanukovich underlined that Party of Regions does not support such variant, but is ready for it.

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Party of Regions ready for presidential impeachment

News / 31 July 2006 | 13:14

In case if the candidature of Victor Yanukovich for the post of Prime Minister of Ukraine is not nominated, Party of Regions will initiate presidential impeachment, as PR member Taras Chornovil declares, press office of the party reports.

“Negotiations with Our Ukraine are failing and Party of Regions becomes angry. Position of the party is strict. If Victor Yanukovich is not nominated for the post of PM, there will be early parliamentary elections, on which Party of Regions may gain 50% of votes plus 10% of bonus. We can take 300 votes in the parliament and initiate presidential impeachment in accordance with Constitution,” Chornovil declared.

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Tymoshenko promised to take part in the roundtable

News / 31 July 2006 | 12:31

BYuT leader Yulia Tymoshenko declares she intends to take part in the next round of the roundtable with the assistance of the President of Ukraine.

She told journalists she would come to witness the fact that it was impossible to “unite incompatible things.”

Commenting on possible signing of the Universal, Tymoshenko noted that there were two groups of political forces with “diametrically opposite visions” on reformation of inner situation and foreign policy. “Unfortunately, no Universal will reduce diametrically opposite forces to a common denominator,” BYuT leader underlined.

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Ukraine to take part in the 16th International AIDS Conference

News / 31 July 2006 | 11:01

With more than 25000 attendees so far registered, the 16th International AIDS Conference to be held August 13-18, 2006 in Toronto will be possibly the largest according to Darryl Perry, executive director of Conference Secretariat, Eedi reported.

Ukraine’s delegation will consist of government (acting one or hopefully a new one will be in place), NGO and international organizations’ representatives and professionals. Since the Bangkok Conference of 2004, Ukraine has gone a long way, from the scandal with the Global fund grant to full fledged implementation of most of its obligations. Although Ukraine still faces criticisms for its rights abuse of the HIV+ people by Human rights watch, yet the All-Ukrainian Network of HIV+ people are nominated for excellent grassroots level work for a new award.

As Andrei Klepikov, Executive Director of the International HIV/AIDS Alliance in Ukraine, who plans to attend the Toronto conference points out, “We have a lot to share today. This time it is a lot more positive, a real breakthrough after Bangkok. We are not just going to learn, although at this stage, when the application to the Global fund is being prepared and the level of obligations and tasks are mounting, the Toronto meet will allow us to look at best practices and learn as well. We know what to do, but how to do is important to know.” 

According to Klepikov, Ukraine’s AIDS problem is one of the most complicated in the region. Days ago, the National Coordination Council approved a $150 million application to the Global Fund, but, according to Klepikov, there is no take-up by the government of the on-going commitments met by donors and sub-contracted parties. In this round, the 6000 people to be covered by ARV treatment is not incorporated into the budgetary program for the future years, making them an on-going liability for the donor supported programs.

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Rybachuk: Universal must be signed today

News / 31 July 2006 | 10:28

In the air of Channel 5 Head of the President’s Secretariat Oleh Rybachuk said that this morning the President would conduct a meeting to define time of the next round of the roundtable of parliamentary political forces.

Rybachuk considers that Universal of national unity will be signed today. “If it is not inked, the President will be forced to dismiss the parliament and announce early elections,” Rybachuk stated.

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World Bank continues support of export development in Ukraine

News / 28 July 2006 | 15:43

The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors yesterday approved a US$ 154.5 million loan for theSecond Export Development Project (EDP2).The project will support export and real sector growth in Ukraine by providing medium and long-term working capital and investment finance to Ukrainian private exporting enterprises. The project also aims to further improve the ability of the Ukrainian banking sector to provide financial resources to the enterprise sector through additional development of financial intermediation by providing a wider variety of better quality lending products.

 

“Ukrainian exports have been the primary engine of economic growth in the last several years, and continued growth of Ukrainian exports is a national priority of the Ukrainian government. There is therefore the need to continue to enhance and sustain the export competitiveness of Ukrainian enterprises”, said World Bank Director for Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova Paul Bermingham.

 

Wider availability of sufficient long-term finance would be an essential input for such growth to take place in the future on a sustainable basis. Apart from the availability of finance, there is a widely perceived need for a dedicated Ukrainian Export Credit and Guarantee Agency able to provide specific export credits, credit insurance and guarantee products to all Ukrainian exporters. The EDP2 will assist in achieving both of these objectives.

 

The loan will be provided to Ukreximbank at the Bank’s standard interest rate for LIBOR-based, single currency dollar loans, repayable in 20 years, including a 5-year grace period, and will be guaranteed by the Ukrainian government. Since Ukraine joined the World Bank in 1992, Bank commitments to the country total about US$ 5 billion for 36 projects and programs.

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Moroz to visit Russia for gas talks

News / 28 July 2006 | 14:56

Ukraine’s parliamentary speaker intends to visit Russia soon to hold talks on natural gas supplies, the Supreme Rada’s press office said Friday, RIA Novosti reported.

“Russian-Ukrainian relations in the gas sphere should be based on a scheme involving Gazprom and  Naftogaz, without mediators,” the press service quoted Oleksandr Moroz as saying.

The parliamentary speaker said relations in the gas sphere should be transparent, above all for consumers.

Russian Industry and Energy Minister Viktor Khristenko said on July 16 that Russia had no intention of revising natural gas agreements and contracts with Ukraine, but was ready to continue talks with Ukraine on creating a consortium to manage Ukraine’s gas transit system.

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Working group edits draft National Unity Pact

News / 28 July 2006 | 12:54

At President’s Secretariat special working group has started to edit the draft text of National Unity Pact (Pact names “Universal” – Ukrainian word from history), President’s press office reported.

Members of the working group are parliamentary deputies and officials of President’s Secretariat – Nikolay Azaroff (Region’s party), Elena Lukash (Region’s party), Petro  Poroshenko (Our Ukraine), Roman Zvarych (Our Ukraine), Yaroslav Mendus (Socialistic party), Vasiliy Zushko (Socialistic party), Leonid Grach (Communist party), and 1^st deputy Chief of President’s Secretariat Ivan Vasiunyk, President’s Advisors – Mykola Poludionny, Ihor Koliushko, head of Secretariat’s State-Legal Service Zhanna Doctorova.

The Head of State insisted National Unity Pact should include clear principles of internal and foreign political courses of the country.

It is planned the President and leaders of parliamentary fractions will finally read the draft Pact after the group finished its work. And than next round of all-national round-table meeting would be opened. The time of beginning the meeting will be published later.

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BYuT deputy explains the refusal to sign Universal

News / 28 July 2006 | 11:41

In an interview to journalists BYuT deputy Andriy Shkil explained why this political force had refused to sign Universal of national unity.

“We are always ready to sign a document on unity, but we will not sign the document on formation of a new coalition or on consecration of the existing one,” he noted.

Shkil considers that Universal is “a very attractive paper, which unattractive figure of Yanukovich is wrapped in.” “We will not take part in this wrapping,” he stated.

At the same time Shkil considers that the conduct of heated discussion is very useful, but the main question is whether the position on the Ukrainian language and NATO will remain firm in the document.

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