Yushchenko demands to speed up gas negotiations

News / 28 November 2008 | 17:40

The President of Ukraine Viktor Yushchenko states on necessity to speed up negotiation process with the Russian side on gas supplies in order to conclude agreement on gas cooperation before January 1, 2009.

Bohdan Sokolovskyi official representative of the President on international issues on energy security said, the president’s press service informs.

According to him, Yushchenko insists on the government to adopt measures for total debt recovery and final solution of all problem issues in gas sphere as soon as possible.

“The President insists on the government to make its work effective and find all possible mechanisms for urgent solution of the problem,” he said.

ForUm

Olimpiysky stadium to be reconstructed by Ukrainian company

News / 28 November 2008 | 16:50

Acting Director General of NSC Olimpiysky Dmytro Chernyavsky and head of Board – president of KyivMiskBud Petro Shyliuk have inked an agreement on holding building and assembly works in reconstruction of the National Sport Complex Olimpiysky to the Euro-2012.

Signing of the instrument was held in the presence of Minister of Family, Youth and Sports Yurii Pavlenko, Cabinet’s press office reported.

According to him, a decision on choice of KyivMiskBud as a general contractor of NSC Olimpiysky reconstruction has been adopted on the results of consultations held by the Government with heads of the biggest building companies of Ukraine.

As reported earlier, on November 19 the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine approved a technical-economic grounding of reconstruction of NSC Olimpiysky with total cost of UAH 2.114 bn and afforded the Ministry of Family, Youth and Sports in accord with Ministry of Regional Development and Building, Finance Ministry and Economics Ministry to determine the general contractor of construction according to a single participant procedure.

ForUm

Kuchma: Coalition is necessary

News / 28 November 2008 | 16:00

Ex-President of Ukraine Leonid Kuchma considers it is necessary to form acting parliamentary coalition under current conditions of the crisis.

“It is necessary to find a solution, to form a coalition which will work effectively and which will take responsibility for adoption anti-crisis measures,” Kuchma said.

According to him, it is destructive to hold early elections now.

“Hryvnya will decline until we have responsible power,” he added.

ForUm

Bulgakov books removed from libraries

News / 28 November 2008 | 15:10

Soviet literature is being removed from all Ukrainian libraries, Arsen Klinchayev, a deputy of Luhanks city council and the chairman of public organization “Young guard.”

“Minister of culture and tourism of Ukraine Vasyl Vovkun ordered to remove soviet literature from all libraries as communist and chauvinistic works. They started with Bulgakov and Mayakovskiy,” the deputy said.

ForUm

Who is guilty of hryvnia fall?

News / 28 November 2008 | 14:20

There are three causes of instability of USD rate in Ukraine, chairman of the National bank council Petro Poroshenko told journalists.

According to him, the first cause is the reduction of currency arrival from export as a result of the world economic crisis.

The second cause is sudden increase of speculative demand for dollar within the country, including at the expense of means for refinancing.

And the third cause, according to Poroshenko, is inactivity of the authorities, especially malfunctioning of the parliament. He noted that it is impossible to stabilize the economic situation in Ukraine without effective work of the parliament.

ForUm

Russia happy US dropped push for new NATO members

News / 28 November 2008 | 13:30

(AP) Russian President Dmitry Medvedev says he is pleased the United States has abandoned its push to give Georgia and Ukraine blueprints for NATO membership.

Medvedev says that “reason has prevailed” on the divisive issue in the final months of U.S. President George W. Bush’s administration.

The U.S. has dropped its effort to grant Ukraine and Georgia NATO Membership Action Plans next week amid opposition from European allies that are concerned about angering Russia.

Moscow opposes NATO membership for the ex-Soviet republics, and the issue was a major factor leading to its August war with Georgia.

Medvedev made the comments during his visit to Cuba. They were broadcast Friday on Russian television.

International Herald Tribune

ForUm

President takes part in all-Ukrainian Adopting Parents Forum

News / 28 November 2008 | 12:30

November 27 President Victor Yushchenko took part in an all-Ukrainian Adopting Parents Forum, president’s press office reproted.

In his address at the event President Yushchenko thanked to all those gathered for making a decision to adopt a child. “What you do is more than just making orphans happy. You refine Ukrainian society”, – he said.

Victor Yushchenko assured that as a President he would be caring for protection of Ukrainian children and support all the incentives to that.

Pointing to problems in the field President reminded that majority of the adopted children were under 5 years of age. Thus, he said, older orpaned children are left without care and it is necessary to improve the situation.

The second preoblem, Victor Yushchenko named, was international adoption. According to him the state does not have any information on living conditions of some of ukrainian orpaned children that were adopted by parents from other countries. To change the situation President urged Verkhovna Rada to ratify Hague Adoption Convention on Intercouuntry Adoption. He also urged the authgorities to promote national adoption and other forms of care for orpan children to put an end to Ukraine being a donor for international adoption.

Overall, President Yushchenko stressed satisfaction with the situation in that area after reforms that had begun back in 2005. “We can be proud today of the great and successful work that was done in reforming adoption and child care system”, – he said. Here President thanked to Ministry for Family Youth and Sport for their efforts in that field.

ForUm

US dollar rate is more than seven UAH

News / 28 November 2008 | 12:10

At the interbank currency market the US dollar rate keeps growing – 7.1250/7.3750 UAH. Prices for Russian currency have increased to 0.2510/0.2630 UAH, and euro-hryvnia rate has increased to 9.2155/9.5490 UAH.

International euro-dollar rate is 1.2940/1.2942 USD.

ForUm