NEWSBRIEFS (10/09/05)

NEWSBRIEFS

Yanukovych threatens to recall signature

KYIV - Viktor Yanukovych said on October 5 that the new leadership of Ukraine has not changed its policy with regard to thousands of people who were unlawfully fired. According to Mr. Yanukovych's personal website, this was what the Party of the Regions of Ukraine (PRU) meant when the memorandum of understanding was signed between the Yushchenko administration and the opposition. The PRU leader's statement lists numerous facts of political reprisals. In particular, Mr. Yanukovych said the dismissal of AVIANT CEO Oleh Shevchenko was illegal. According to Mr. Yanukovych, the new authorities are violating the memorandum, which is why he does not rule out the likelihood of recalling his signature on the document. (Ukrinform)

PM says economic growth is priority

KYIV - Prime Minister Yurii Yekhanurov said in an interview with the Financial Times on October 5 that the first priority of his Cabinet of Ministers is to reverse the rapid slowdown of economic growth. The Ukrainian economy grew 2.8 percent in the first eight months of 2005, compared with 13.6 percent in the same period a year earlier. Mr. Yekhanurov also said he hopes the Verkhovna Rada will soon approve 12 government-proposed bills intended to support Ukraine's bid to enter the World Trade Organization (WTO). He added that he is not sure whether Ukraine will be admitted to the WTO this coming December, as President Viktor Yushchenko had aimed for. Mr. Yekhanurov confirmed that the Kryvorizhstal steel mill will go up for a repeat privatization auction later this month. The mill was sold in 2004 for $800 million but the Yushchenko government canceled that tender. Now the minimum price for Kryvorizhstal has been set at $2 billion. Mr. Yekhanurov also said the government's drive to reverse privatizations made before President Yushchenko came to power is "finished." (RFE/RL Newsline)

President praises new Cabinet

KYIV - In a prerecorded interview with four Ukrainian television channels on October 4, President Viktor Yushchenko said that the Cabinet of Prime Minister Yurii Yekhanurov is one of "the most pragmatic governments" that possesses "fairly ideal conditions to work productively." According to Mr. Yushchenko, the new Cabinet will manage to stabilize the economy by the end of this year. The president also announced that some regional governors will be replaced but did not specify the regions concerned. He confirmed that he is not going to undertake any "destructive actions" against the political reform that is due to take effect in January. Mr. Yushchenko did not rule out his political reunion with former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko but added: "It's impossible to make a technical repetition of that false start. We should speak about new qualities, new priorities, new relations. If Yulia Volodymyrivna [Tymoshenko] identifies her goal as power and nothing but power, this is her choice. I'm not a partner here." (RFE/RL Newsline)

Computer glitch snarls border traffic

KYIV - A computer failure at a Ukrainian Customs Service data-processing center slowed traffic at three checkpoints on the Ukrainian-Polish border and created lengthy lines of trucks on the Polish side, Interfax-Ukraine reported on October 3. Haulers carrying goods into Ukraine have been forced to wait 24 hours, while the border crossing normally requires two to three hours. "This is the third failure of the [computer] system within the past six months," Yurii Sendetskyi, the director of a cargo company, told Interfax-Ukraine, adding, "The system is out of order every time a serious personnel change takes place in the Ukrainian Customs Service, and this is not accidental." Mr. Sendetskyi suggested that the system failure might be the result of an attempt by customs officers to destroy evidence of wrongdoing. Prime Minister Viktor Yekhanurov reportedly has told Oleksander Yehorov, the new head of the Ukrainian Customs Service appointed on September 23, that his priority is to eradicate corruption among customs officers. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Melnychenko cites attempt on his life

KYIV - Serhii Taran, director of the Kyiv-based Mass Media Institute, told journalists in Kyiv on October 4 that former presidential security officer Mykola Melnychenko has had to flee Washington following a purported attempt on his life, Ukrainian news agencies reported. Mr. Taran said the news came in an e-mail from Mr. Melnychenko's lawyer. The so-called Melnychenko tapes or recordings, allegedly made secretly by him in the office of former Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma, implicate Mr. Kuchma and other former and current Ukrainian officials in the kidnapping and murder of Internet journalist Heorhii Gongadze in 2000. Meanwhile, Procurator General Sviatoslav Piskun said on October 4 that the Gongadze case will go to court in October or early November, UNIAN reported. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Yekhanurov visits Moscow

MOSCOW - Yurii Yekhanurov visited Moscow on September 30 and, in talks with his Russian counterpart, Mikhail Fradkov, said that Russian business interests in Ukraine will be preserved and no privatization deals will be reversed, polit.ru reported. When discussing bilateral economic and trade relations, Mr. Yekhanurov called on Mr. Fradkov to take "practical steps" to ensure "pragmatic relations." One of the main topics for discussions was Gazprom's plan to triple the price of Russian gas from the beginning of 2006, TV-Tsentr reported on October 1. Mr. Yekhanurov would like to find an acceptable solution and at least have a gradual raising of prices, TV-Tsentr reported. The same day, Mr. Yekhanurov also met with President Vladimir Putin who told him that he hopes he will help Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko "consolidate Ukrainian society and overcome economic setbacks," RTR reported. Meanwhile, in an interview with the RTR talk show "Vesti Nedeli" on 2 October 2, the Ukrainian prime minister said that Ukraine will also continue to seek agreement with Russia on its participation in the Single Economic Space. "It is better if our relations will be free of loving words, be tougher, but realistic," he concluded. Meanwhile, according to RIA-Novosti, Mr. Putin said he spoke with Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko by phone and they agreed to open joint border checkpoints and reduce border-crossing formalities for residents of both countries. The trip marked Mr. Yekhanurov's first official foreign visit since he took office on September 22. President Putin praised the newly appointed Ukrainian prime minister as an "experienced and effective person" well-positioned to solve economic and "other systematic problems." Mr. Putin said he hoped Mr. Yekhanurov might "give a fresh impetus to [mutual] cooperation," according to RFE/RL. (RFE/RL Newsline)

PM tries to reassure foreign investors

MOSCOW - In statements apparently aimed at reassuring Russian and other foreign investors, Prime Minister Yurii Yekhanurov stressed on September 30 that authorities will seek to punish wayward State Property Fund officials rather than businessmen over wrongdoings related to past privatizations, Interfax reported. The interests of the current owners in cases of flawed state sales will be taken into account during proceedings to address past injustices, Mr. Yekhanurov said, although he suggested "possible additional payments" might also be sought. He added during his visit to Moscow, according to RFE/RL: "We gave a clear signal to Russian and other foreign businesses [in Ukraine] that we would work in a civilized manner and the problem of re-privatization would no longer concern our partners." Mr. Yekhanurov said Ukraine needs clear legislation to avoid the temptation to re-privatize and that a group in the Verkhovna Rada has drafted the relevant bill for debate, according to Interfax. He also urged lawmakers to endorse that legislation quickly. (RFE/RL Newsline)

TV host comments on Tymoshenko visit

MOSCOW - "Vesti Nedeli" host Sergei Brilev said on October 2 that former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko visited Moscow the previous week ahead of Prime Minister Yurii Yekhanurov to prevent legal action, prepared by Ukrainian prosecutors, being taken against her. Mr. Brilev said that Ukrainian prosecutors are able to substantiate earlier accusations made against Ms. Tymoshenko by the Russian Procurator General's Office. However, according to the host, Ms. Tymoshenko held "a dialogue" with Russian prosecutors, who then deleted her name from an international wanted list. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Cabinet approves transfer of coal assets

KYIV - The Ukrainian Cabinet of Ministers on October 1 approved the liquidation of the state-owned joint-stock company Ukrainian Coal in order to allow for its reorganization under the newly created Coal Ministry, said Fuel and Energy Minister Ivan Plachkov. President Viktor Yushchenko issued a decree in late July to remove coal assets and management from the Fuel and Energy Ministry and subsequently named Viktor Topolov to run the new ministry. Ukrainian Coal comprises some 120 state-owned coal mines, 24 coal-enrichment plants, and other state-controlled enterprises. Ousted Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko has in the past accused Ukrainian Coal of serving as a lobby for the Donetsk coal industry to secure state subsidies for the industry. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Ukraine against isolating Belarus

KYIV - Ukrainian National Defense and Security Council Secretary Anatolii Kinakh said in Kyiv on September 29 that Ukraine will counter attempts to isolate Belarus in the international arena, Ukrainian media reported, quoting Channel 5. Mr. Kinakh was speaking at a meeting with his Belarusian and Polish counterparts, Security Council Chairman Henadz Nyavyhlas and National Security Bureau Chief Jerzy Bar, respectively. "Ukraine's position is clear: to inflexibly resist attempts to isolate Belarus internationally," Mr. Kinakh said. "Ukraine will support an active participation of friendly Belarus in the European and world arena," he added. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Parties call on democrats to unite

KYIV - National Rukh of Ukraine leader Borys Tarasyuk and Ukrainian People's Party leader Yurii Kostenko have signed a statement calling on "all patriotic, democratic forces and all Ukrainian citizens to unite around the program of President Viktor Yushchenko," Interfax-Ukraine reported on September 29. "The elections are not far away, and given the political will and political wisdom, it is possible once again to unite all those who won on the Orange maidan," Mr. Tarasyuk commented in the statement. (RFE/RL Newsline)

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