Ukraine’s FM urges politicians not to speculate on Azov Sea incident

News / 30 August 2013 | 17:00

The Foreign Ministry of Ukraine calls on political parties not to speculate on the incident in the Sea of Azov, press service reports.

“We call on all political forces in Ukraine not to speculate on the subject, transforming it from the legal to the political plane as it only hinders our efforts in this matter, complicating negotiations with the Russian party,” Kozhara stressed.

He assured that the Ministry will continue making every effort to promptly resolve the situation of a citizen of Ukraine Oleksandr Fedorovych.

The minister noted that the key challenge remains the question of dismissal of restraint measure and speedy return of Fedorovych in Ukraine.

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Yanukovych promises always defend national interests

News / 30 August 2013 | 16:46

Ukraine will always defend its own national interests, President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych stresses.

“We have been fought and will fight for protection of our national interests. We’ll act not to please someone but to do the best for our country,” Yanukovych said in interview with Ukrainian TV channels, the President’s press service informs. 

As he said, defending the national interests should not be at the expense of human life or the state of the economy.

“We are the independent state. Improving well-being of our people, strengthening our nation within foreign policy should be at the heart of all our actions, domestic or foreign policy actions,” the President said.

 

“That’s our goal,” he added.

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Three defendants in Titushko’s case reach compromise with journalists

News / 30 August 2013 | 16:27

Three defendants in the case of beating journalists in Kyiv on May 18 Vadym Titushko, Serhiy Prykhodko and Mykhailo Pshuk signed a settlement agreement with victims Olha Snitsarchuk and Vladyslav Sodel, judge Larysa Radutska said at a meeting of Shevchenko district court of Kyiv on Friday.

The court announced that the settlement agreement was signed between journalists Olha Snitsarchuk and Vladyslav Sodel on the one hand and Titushko, Prykhodko and Pshuk on the other hand. Another defendant Andriy Yaroshenko did not sign the settlement agreement.

In this regard, the court decided to provide a separate criminal proceeding against Titushko, Prykhodko and Pshuk. In this case, the trial against Yaroshenko on beating the journalists was rescheduled for September 13 at 9 am.

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Banks not to raise commission since September 1, NBU sure

News / 30 August 2013 | 16:10

Limited sum of cash payments should not become a reason to raise bank commission, deputy governor of the National Bank of Ukraine Vira Rychakovska told a briefing, ForUm correspondent reports.

“Transactions and instruments (proposed for introduction of limited sum of cash payments from September 1. – Ed.) are standard bank transactions. And there cannot be some big commissions for their implementation,” Rychakovska said.

In addition, she said that the NBU plans to continue working out these issues with the banks and NABU.

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90 billion to be allocated for Ukrainian army maintenance

News / 30 August 2013 | 15:54

90 billion UAH are planned to be allocated or the maintenance of the Ukrainian army until 2017, defense minister of Ukraine Pavlo Lebedev told a briefing, ForUm correspondent reports.

As he recalled, in general 131.7 billion hryvnia are planned to be allocated until 2017 to reform the Ukrainian army. “Reform of the Armed Forces of Ukraine will last until 2017. During this period, the army budget provides for 131 billion UAH,” he said.

In particular, he said, 12 billion UAH will be allocated for to combat training, 24.7 billion UAH – for rearmament, 90 billion UAH – for maintenance.

The minister also added that the reform of the Armed Forces of Ukraine consists of three important factors. “These include combat readiness, transition to a professional army, and social protection of servicemen,” he noted.

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Lebedev: Share of contract soldiers makes 58%

News / 30 August 2013 | 15:38

As of today, the share of contract soldiers in the Ukrainian army makes 58%, defense minister Pavlo Lebedev told a briefing, ForUm correspondent reports.

The minister specified that the bigest shares of contract miltiaries are in navy, air force and special forces. “The worst situation is observed in the land services of the Armed Forces,” he said.

According to him, seven million contract servicemen are planned to be recruited this year, 4.8 million soldiers – in 2014 and 4-5 thousand – in 2015, 2016 and 2017.

However, Lebedev stressed that the total number of the Ukrainian army will reach 122 thousand people after the completion of this reform.

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236 thousand children of Chernobyl get free meals

News / 30 August 2013 | 15:22

In 2013, 236 thousand children, who suffer results of the Chernobyl disaster, have been provided with free nutrition.

This was announced by deputy director of the Social Policy Ministry department of social protection of citizens affected by the Chernobyl disaster Serhiy Kucherenko, ForUm correspondent reports.

He noted that this year 236 thousand children in 1274 educational institutions of the 12 regions of Ukraine receive free meals.

 “Today, the largest number of children victims of Chernobyl live in Kyiv region – 72 thousand, in Rivne region – 66 thousand, Zhytomyr region – almost 36 thousand, which together constitute 74% of the total number of such children,” Kucherenko said.

He added that in 2013 the Social Policy Ministry has been allocated 494 million UAH to free meals for children victims of Chernobyl.

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NBU explains how to settle accounts at 150 thousand UAH

News / 30 August 2013 | 15:07

Limited sum of cash payments do not necessarily require opening the bank account by a buyer, deputy governor of the National Bank of Ukraine Vira Rychakovska told a briefing, ForUm correspondent reports.

“At the initial stage, a buyer may deposit the bank account or the account of a notary officer,” the deputy chairman of the NBU said.

However, she stressed that a seller must have his account in the bank, and he will receive money only in a non-cash form.

According to Rychakovska, the NBU also offers four other options to settle accounts at the amount of 150 thousand UAH.

“First of all, it is direct transfer between two clients,” she said, adding that in this case, a buyer and a seller must have open bank accounts.

“The second tool is the use of conditional deposits,” she said. 

In addition, the NBU deputy chairman said that the Ukrainians will be able to settle accounts by means of accounts and deposits of notaries.

She also stressed that another instrument proposed by the NBU is letters of credit to individuals.

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