Presidential Secretariat ready to accept any format of coalition

News / 10 November 2008 | 17:30

Deputy President’s Chief of Staff Andriy Kyslynskiy claims that any format of parliamentary coalition is acceptable as of today.According to the President`s press-office, A.Kyslynskiy stressed that in the face of world financial crisis and considering the government’s inability to accept economic challenges, the issue of political crisis has removed to lower positions in the agenda. “The President of Ukraine has clearly set priorities: all the efforts should be directed at overcoming the economic crisis. The issue of postponing the snap poll should be regarded only from this point of view. Unfortunately, since October 20, parliamentary forces have failed to adopt a complex of anti-crisis measures: two weeks of inactivity and only 1 day of efficient work”, A.Kyslynskiy stressed. “As of today, there are still no traces of political invigoration, so the snap poll will take place as soon as the economic situation improves. At the same time, the positive outcome of voting on the President’s anti-crisis legislation in the Verkhovna Rada has indicated there are chances for political forces to unite in the face of the economic crisis. Today any format of parliamentary majority is acceptable – either a broad democratic coalition, or a coalition of 300 and more votes. Economic challenges demand high-quality and urgent anti-crisis decisions from parliament”, A.Kyslynskiy pointed out. “The forces that supported the President’s anti-crisis legislation, namely BYuT, OU-PSD, and Lytvyn’s Bloc, may and must be regarded as partners on coalition. Will this coalition be able-to-life? Much depends on lessons of the past, beginning from a balanced coalition agreement, which must include program provisions of all partners – and finishing with unconditional fulfillment of obligations fixed in the coalition agreement”, the deputy President’s Chief of Staff claimed.

ForUm

Tymoshenko to help miners, metallurgists and builders

News / 10 November 2008 | 16:40

The Cabinet of Ministers is going to adopt a range of key draft bills to prevent financial crisis in metallurgic, construction and agrarian industries.The Prime Minister of Ukraine Yulia Tymoshenko said that today, opening the Cabinet session, ForUm’s correspondent informs.ForUm

According to the PM,  the Cabinet to adopt key draft bills on each industry which can suffer from financial crisis in order to prevent crisis in these industries.

“The government will unite experts in all industry in order to combine efforts and prevent negative consequences of the crisis,” Tymoshenko said.

She also noted that for this political stability and consolidation are necessary.

Ukrainian schoolchildren to commemorate the Holodomor

News / 10 November 2008 | 15:50

Ministry of Education of Ukraine required to conduct commemorative lessons devoted to the 75^th anniversary of the Holodomor at all educational institutions/ students and pupils will be handed with informational brochures and commemorative candles.There are two instructive letters at the official site of the Ministry of Education of Ukraine about the 75^th anniversary of the Holodomor which recommend order of commemorative lessons in Ukraine and Autonomous Republic of Crimea. On November 20-22 commemorative lessons and lectures will be held, films about the Holodomor will be showed.

 

ForUm

Pension Fund deficit may make 14 billion hryvnias – Yushchenko

News / 10 November 2008 | 15:00

In the opinion of President of Ukraine Victor Yushchenko, the Pension Fund deficit may make up to 14 billion hryvnias on results of the year.According to UNIAN, Victor Yushchenko claimed this at a meeting with the leadership of the State Tax Administration of Ukraine, the State Customs Service of Ukraine, and a number of other state bodies.

The President criticized the Pension Fund leadership for “poor planning”.

“I’d like to ask due to what planning we are finishing the year with a Pension Fund deficit at almost 14 billion hryvnias”, Victor Yushchenko said.

According to his information, considering the Pension Fund deficit, the total state budget deficit may exceed 25 billion hryvnias.

 

ForUm

Ukraine PM to try to avoid Russian gas price rise

News / 10 November 2008 | 14:10

Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko said on Monday her government was working on a gas supply agreement with Russia that would keep the price at the current level. Russia has raised gas prices steeply since 2005, although at $179.50 per 1,000 cubic metres, Ukraine still pays less than the European market price. Russia`s gas export monopoly Gazprom had suggested it could double that price to around $400.“We are at the moment working to retain the 2009 gas price as it is today. We are working on this, but an agreement has not yet been signed,” Tymoshenko told metal industry businessmen. Tymoshenko said last month the two countries had agreed Ukraine would pay a market price within three years. Gazprom said last month the European price had reached an all-time high above $500. Disputes between Kiev and Moscow over prices and debts have led to gas supply cuts. One such cut in January 2006 briefly affected European countries, which receive just under a quarter of their gas needs from Russia via Ukraine.

ForUm

Yatseniuk proposes VR, government, and President, to sign agreement

News / 10 November 2008 | 13:20

Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Speaker Arseniy Yatseniuk proposes the parliament, government, and President of Ukraine Victor Yushchenko, to sign an agreement on temporary collaboration.According to UNIAN, he clamed this on Monday at a session of the parliament’s Conciliatory Council.

According to Arseniy Yatseniuk, at present the issue of the coalition’s work has not been solved, as well as there is no legitimate decision about carrying out the snap poll.

“Considering all this, we have the only way out – to unite, to shoulder joint responsibility between all parliamentary factions, the President, and the Cabinet of Ministers, and to work in a temporary collaboration regime until we solve the political crisis, for the sake of overcoming the economical and political crises”, the Speaker said.

 

ForUm

Yushchenko wants to toughen responsibility for “fake VAT turnover”

News / 10 November 2008 | 12:30

President of Ukraine Viktor Yushchenko suggest toughening responsibility for “fictitious VAT turnover”. He said at the meeting on observance of the state budget in the tax administration.President insists on criminal responsibility for fictitious VAT turnover schemes, which help to steal about 4 billion UAH form the state budget

“Tax payments are smaller than compensation�I am sure that some criminal models are involved,” the president said.

He called the tax administration jointly with customs service and Treasury to form an interim coordination council, which will work out new methods to provide “normal relations in this sphere.”

 

ForUm

Illegal adoption of 12-year old girl revealed

News / 10 November 2008 | 11:40

Border guards prevented an attempt to take illegally a 12-year old girl abroad.Border guards heard a dispute between a woman and a girl. Further investigation revealed that the girl did not want to leave Ukraine. The girl stated that her adoptive mother, 40-year old US citizen, treated her roughly and tried to take the girl to the US against her will.

Border guards also discovered that the adoption procedure was held with violations. Police found out that the girl has adult brother in Odessa, who did not give his consent and did not even know about the procedure.

 

ForUm