UEFA president to visit Ukraine in mid April

News / 13 March 2009 | 17:30

UEFA President Michel Platini will make an official visit to Ukraine on April 14-15, Ukrainian Football Federation President Hryhoriy Surkis said here on Wednesday, according to Xinhua. “Platini will meet with the country`s top leaders and other officials involved in the preparations for the 2012 European Football Championship,” Surkis said during parliamentary hearings on Ukraine`s preparations for the Championship. Surkis noted that the country`s attitude towards the preparations for hosting the Euro 2012 finals should be improved. He also called on Ukraine`s parliament to pass all the necessary decisions and laws needed to host the championship.

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Separatism in Crimea to split Ukraine?

News / 13 March 2009 | 16:40

Former U.S. ambassador in Ukraine Steven Pifer is afraid of stirring up separatist moods in Crimea by the nationalistic circles among Russian authorities the nearest years. It may lead to armed conflicts on the peninsula. At the worst, Russian troops may be drawn into a conflict with Ukrainian members of the top brass, considers diplomat.

“Armed conflicts between separatists and Ukrainian security services are at the highest risk”, is pointing ex-ambassador in the report for the Council on foreign relations. Finally, it may lead to a crisis challenging territorial integrity of Ukraine, cites Crimean agency Novy region Steven Pifer as saying.

“Nationalists in Russia will be catching any separatist moves on the Crimean peninsula to revive disputes of 90s years on allegedly illegal delivery of Crimea to Ukraine”, is predicting former ambassador.

“Persistent efforts of Russia to encourage separatism in Crimea or renewal of relations between Crimea and Russia may become the main point of the agenda of dispute between USA and Russia”, states diplomat. “The results may eclipse results of the conflict between Russia and Georgia in 2008”.

According to Steven Pifer, Washington is to settle contradictions between Moscow and Kyiv. “The U.S. President Barak Obama and the government are interested in policy downplaying domestic tensions in Ukraine and minimizing confrontation between Ukraine and Russia”, he noted, MIGnews informed.

“Remembering experience of Georgia, Washington should guarantee transparency in Kyiv on supporting Ukraine in the case of confrontation with Moscow”, stressed Steven Pifer.

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Tomenko: The border between Ukraine and Poland should accord with the interests of citizens of both countries

News / 13 March 2009 | 15:50

On Friday, Mykola Tomenko, Vice-Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, stayed with a working visit in Warsaw, where he met Bronislaw Komorowski, Marshal (Speaker) of Seim of the Republic of Poland, press office of the parliament reported.

As the Co-Chairman of the Inter-Parliamentary Assembly of the Republic of Poland and Ukraine, M.Tomenko expressed his content with the fact that the work of the Assembly was being restored after a two-year break (the Fourth Sitting is presently being held). The schedule of the today´s sitting envisaged discussion of issues appertaining to Ukrainian-Polish relations, especially concerning preparation for the Final Part of the European Football Championship-2012. 

However, M.Tomenko drew attention to the insufficient number of border crossings between the countries.

 

The Vice-Chairman of Ukrainian Parliament deems necessary to arrange the border crossings in accord with the interests of citizens of both countries, which should promote relations of good neighbourhood between the countries. M.Tomenko deems necessary to increase the number of motor-car crossings at least by two times.

 

“It is quite apparent that European standards of relations should be maintained. The governments of both countries should boost their activity aimed at creation of a civilized system of border crossings”, – stated the Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.

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Presidential elections in Ukraine to take place on January 17, 2010 – official

News / 13 March 2009 | 15:00

The next presidential elections in Ukraine should take place on January 17, 2010, and acting Ukrainian President Viktor Yuschenko is not intending to appeal to the Constitutional Court on the issue, Viktor Baloha, the head of the presidential secretariat, has said in an interview with the Kommersant-Ukraine newspaper, published of Friday.

“About the date set by the Constitution – January 17, 2010 – I have no doubts,” Baloha said in the interview, Interfax-Ukraine reported.

Baloha said the president was not intending to appeal to the Constitutional Court on the issue of setting the date of elections.

“The Verkhovna Rada should schedule elections, and I do not think another date will be set,” he said.

“The president of Ukraine has never violated the Constitution and the laws of Ukraine while performing his functions. And the statements of Petro Symonenko, a member of the actual democratic coalition (the Communist Party leader), as due to him coalition voting in the parliament is performed, are easy to explain. Symonenko was so inspired by fulfilling Tymoshenko’s orders (Ukrainian Premier Yulia Tymoshenko), that the voters will soon start wondering if he is the member of the Batkivschyna Party (the leader of which is Yulia Tymoshenko) or the leader of the Communist Party.

“Regarding those violations Symonenko talked about today, including the appointment of governors and changes in the membership of the National Security and Defense Council, then [President] Viktor Yuschenko did them in response to the humble requests of Tymoshenko, who wanted so much to become prime minister,” Baloha said.

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Croatian companies may participate in Ukrainian projects

News / 13 March 2009 | 14:10

Croatian construction firms, particularly the Institute of Construction of Croatia, are showing a great interest in Ukraine’s infrastructure projects.

The director of the institute said during the meeting with the Ukrainian ambassador, UKRINFORM reports.

He expressed confidence that Ukraine must fully implement its status of a transit nation, having created a branchy network of high-quality roads on its territory .

According to him, this mega-project is not only particularly vital in the context of Ukraine’s preparations for the 2012 European Football Championship, but may also help the country overcome the economic crisis.

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New US administration will better support Ukraine – ambassador

News / 13 March 2009 | 13:20

The administration of President Barack Obama will support Ukraine’s independence better than the previous administrations of the United States, US Ambassador to Ukraine William Taylor told the audience at the National Academy of the Prosecutor’s Office on Thursday.

The administration of Obama supports the independence and sovereignty of Ukraine even greater than any previous US administration, the ambassador said, UKRINFORM reported.

He assured that his country believes Ukraine to be an exceptionally important country, enjoying support of both the democrats and republicans, executive and legislative power.

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Deputies want to know whether Chernovetski is a psycho

News / 13 March 2009 | 12:30

Temporary investigation committee of the parliament made a decision on carrying out of the psychiatric examination of Kyiv Mayor Leonid Chernovetskyi. BYuT lawmaker Volodymyr Yavorivskyi told a press conference.

“People say about inadequacy of Chernovetski; that’s why the commission made a decision to hold an independent expertise of the psychological state of Kyiv mayor,” he said.

Yavorivskyi also noted that the results of the expertise would be published. “If he is a healthy man and his speech, acts and deeds are just a specific manner of behavior we will say: leave Chernovetski alone. But experts admit that if Kyiv mayor has health problems we will announce this and take measures,” the MP underlined.

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Ukraine, Croatia may halt visa regulations in summer

News / 13 March 2009 | 11:40

Ukraine and Croatia are considering prospects for suspending visa regulations over the 2009 summer season. Ukraine’s Ambassador Markiyan Lubkivskyi discussed the issue with Croatian Interior Minister Tomislav Karamarko.

Lubkivskyi said in the course of the past few years Croatia was a favorite place for summer rest of the Ukrainians, and ever more citizens of Croatia visit Ukraine. In 2008, the Croatian embassy in Ukraine drew about 30,000 visas. In this connection, the need appears for the creation of favorable opportunities and conditions for the development of tourism between the two countries.

Karamarko said there are no problems involved in the stay of Ukrainian citizens in his country, having backed Ukraine’s proposals concerning liberalization of entry conditions.

UKRINFORM

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