"Krayina Mriy" festival took place in Kyiv

News / 30 June 2009 | 17:47

On June 27, “Krayina Mriy” ( Country of dreams) – the large ethnographic festival of theUkrainian folk art took place on the ancient Kyiv’s hills. Master-classes were conducted on the different types of age-old folk art. The ancient Ukrainian, cossack single combats were demonstrated. The Ukrainian folk music bands as well as from Lithuania and Norway were performed at the festival.

 

The leader of group “VV” Oleg Skrypka the known Ukrainian singer is organizer and initiator of this festival. Despite the festival was held only for one day (usually it is two-day holiday) thousands of Kyiv residents and guests from other oblasts and counties visited it. As usuall the atmosphere of the festival was full of Ukrainian spirit, culture and traditions. It is a nice opportunity for young generation to learn about our traditions, art and history, the ForUm’s correspondent informs.

 

 

 

 

Photos: Unian, Deineko.com.ua

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EU is ready to help Ukraine buy Russian gas

News / 30 June 2009 | 16:59

The European Commission and European financial institutions are ready to help Ukraine buy Russian gas but do not want “to play first fiddle”.

A joint statement by the European Commission and international lenders on Ukraine’s settlements for gas, circulated on Tuesday by the European Commission’s representative office in Russia, states that the European Commission will continue assisting the search for a solution, Kyiv Post reported.

At the same time, the international partners note that further support to ease gas purchases will depend on further reforms in the gas sector, and be an addition to the financial assistance the International Monetary Fund has been providing under a program to support the Ukrainian economy, the statement says.

The reform in which citizens of Ukraine and European consumers are equally interested, is a national challenge, a successful answer to which will require a political consensus and responsibility, it says.

The statement was made following the European Union’s technical talks on Monday with representatives of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the European Investment Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.

The participants in the talks examined the problem of Ukraine’s settlements for Russian gas and its storing, and singled out the main issues of concern, as well as ways of resolving the situation, including various financing schemes.

The European Commission underscores the importance of guaranteeing reliable energy shipments and uninterrupted transit of gas to European consumers in the winter, says the statement.

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Yanukovych threatens to break the VRU session

News / 30 June 2009 | 15:15

The extra session of the VRU, initiated by the BYuT, will not take place in case the PM Yulia Tymoshenko does not agree to increase salaries and pensions for poor people from June 1, the leader of the Party of Regions Viktor Yanukovych said.

“This is our demand,” Yanukovych said, the ForUm’s correspondent informs.

“We say once again that without urgent increase of salaries and pensions for the most unprotected people the parliament will not take any other decisions,” he said.

“Either the VRU is able to make Tymoshenko’s government increase salaries and pensions for poor people, or such VRU should be dismissed. No other compromises are possible here,” Yanukovych said.

As a reminder, the VRU adopted in the first reading the draft law on increase of the living wage and minimal salary. But the parliament did not manage to adopt this law on the whole.

Last Friday the PR member blocked the VRU work, demanding this law to be adopted.

ForUm

Tourists are being deceived in the Crimea

News / 30 June 2009 | 14:00

The new swindlers are selling tourists the tickets to attend the popular free of charge places located on the Crimean peninsula. The tourists pay in advance for the excursion and usually are surprised that the excursion is growing in price during the journey, MIGnews reported.

According to 5 Kanal, swindlers place a bar or draw the rope near the entrance to the sights. The fee for entrance is minimum UAH 5. Su-Uchkhan waterfall and even tour round the Livadiysky Palace have become paid.

The statesmen are calling on tourists to remain unprovoked and ask swindlers to show the permission, Liga reports. They have prohibited taking money for visiting the sights on the peninsula.

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Kuchma: Ukraine in worse economic situation due to negligence of authorities

News / 30 June 2009 | 13:12

Ukraine’s second president, Leonid Kuchma (1994-2004), has said that Ukraine has found itself in a worse situation amid the financial and economic crises due to the negligence of the authorities, Kyiv Post reported.

“Over 100 economic crises of various natures have happened over the last 300 years. This means that it’s necessary always to be prepared for a crisis, rather than tell the people and say that this [crisis] will not affect us� As a result [of this], Ukraine has found itself in a worse situation. We’ve won the race to the bottom in all aspects,” he told reporters in Kyiv on Tuesday.

He said government policies were evidence of the “negligent attitude of the Ukrainian authorities to forecasting and analyzing the consequences of the financial and economic crisis.”

Kuchma also said that “new young scientists with non-standard ideas” could tackle the economic crisis and change the situation in the country.

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Yushchenko: VRU dismissal depends on MPs

News / 30 June 2009 | 12:26

The issue on early parliamentary elections may be solved today only by the VRU. The President Viktor Yushchenko said that on Inter channel, the ForUm’s correspondent informs.

The President noted that formally the coalition, headed by the PM exists in the parliament. At the same time the coalition does not the majority of votes. “It seriously slows the adoption and solution of key issues. And first of all the budget and economy policy,” the President said.

Therefore the issue on early parliamentary elections will depend on behavior and actions of the MPs from the coalition as well as from the opposition. This issue is only in competence of the parliament,” the President added.

ForUm

Yanukovych expects report from coalition

News / 30 June 2009 | 11:34

The Party of Regions considers that the coalition must provide the report on current activity and plans for the future. The PR leader Viktor Yanukovych said that on Sunday on Inter channel, the ForUm’s correspondent informs.

“I think that every political force in the coalition should make a report. These are BYuT, OU-PSD and Lytvyn bloc. Let the coalition report on its work and on what they are going to do,” he said.

Viktor Yanukovych noted again on necessity to hold early parliamentary and presidential elections.

“It would be better to hold elections as soon as possible. If to hold early presidential and parliamentary election – they should be held simultaneously,” he added. According to him, after the elections Ukraine should have stability, solve the crisis and overcome it.

ForUm

Tymoshenko: Youth – is not only passport data but philosophy of life

News / 30 June 2009 | 11:00

Prime Minister of Ukraine Yulia Tymoshenko congratulated Ukrainians on Day of Youth, the ForUm’s correspondent informs.

“I would like to congratulate those who start their adult life and those who think that youth is not only passport data but the philosophy of life despite the age, on holiday of belief, energy, optimism, love and dreams,” she said.

According to Yulia Tymoshenko, now Ukraine as ever before needs success. “We need optimism and aspiration for the future. We need those features which youth has I am sure all together we will win.”

PM wished the youth not to lose youth as it is a fundament of adult life. “Learn, read, work at yourself, fall in love, reach successes but not to be disappointed with failures,” she said.

ForUm

First state officials congratulated Ukrainians on Day of Constitution

News / 30 June 2009 | 10:16

President of Ukraine Viktor Yushchenko, PM Yulia Tymoshenko, VRU chairman Volodymyr Lytvyn and PR leader Viktor Yanukovych congratulated the Ukrainians on Day of Constitution which took place on June 28, the ForUm’s correspondent informs.

In particular, Viktor Yushchenko said in his greeting” This holiday concerns all of us. Constitution is not just a document. Constitution is we. This is our agreement, how we arrange our life. This is our rights, obligations, main national principles.” The Presidents wants the Ukrainian people to be free and independent.

In turn Yulia Tymoshenko also congratulated Ukrainians on 13^th anniversary since the day of Constitution adoption. She is convinced that everything will be good in our country. “We are the great state and strong nation.”

The VRU speaker Volodymyr Lytvyn in his greeting noted that after adoption of the Constitution in 1996 the legal formation of the state was completed. Lytvyn considers that now it is important to make politicians and power of Ukraine to live in accordance with the Constitution and using its positive potential to provide development of Ukraine as democratic, social and legal state.

The PR leader Viktor Yanukovych sincerely congratulated the Ukrainians on the state holiday – Day of Constitution of Ukraine. According to him, adoption of the Constitution in 1996 opened legal way to formation of our sovereign country.

ForUm

Yushchenko believes in victory at election

News / 30 June 2009 | 10:00

 President Viktor Yushchenko, the political leader of Our Ukraine, is sure of the victory of his party at the future election.

“We’ll go to election, and I want you to know that we’ll win as a political force, which has the formed national strategy and which has something to propose and show to our nation,” he said at the congress of the People’s Union-Our Ukraine party in Kyiv on Saturday, Interfax-Ukraine reported.

The president also said that his party would win the election, as it takes care about future generations and the future of Ukraine.

Yuschenko expressed confidence that the present party’s congress would be a historical one. He said that the party would restore its members and would start its revival.

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