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<title>Bloc of Yulia Tymoshenko</title><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index.html</link><description>iBYuT RSS</description><dc:language>en</dc:language><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><dc:rights>Copyright 2008</dc:rights><dc:date>2008-11-25T14:53:51-05:00</dc:date><admin:generatorAgent rdf:resource="http://www.realmacsoftware.com/" />
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<lastBuildDate>Tue, 25 Nov 2008 15:15:40 -0500</lastBuildDate><item><title>Tymoshenko in Sweden as Gas Demand Made</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-11-25T14:53:51-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/571.html#unique-entry-id-635</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/571.html#unique-entry-id-635</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Just as Ms Tymoshenko sought to defuse the issue, President Viktor Yushchenko politicised the situation, personally blaming Ms Tymoshenko for not repaying the debt and demanding the government repay it within five days.


&ldquo;Some days ago you reported that the gas issue was settled.&rdquo; said President Yushchenko, referring to a recent meeting in Moldova between Ms Tymoshenko and her Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin. 

...The Tymoshenko-government has campaigned for greater transparency in the supply of natural gas and an end to the use of all intermediary companies &ndash; preferring instead a direct contractual relationship between Naftohaz and Gazprom. 

...&ldquo;I have no reason not to believe that we will sign the agreement according to the memorandum I signed with Vladimir Putin, where it was stressed that we will move gradually to market prices for natural gas.&rdquo;


...&ldquo;The more Yushchenko tries to discredit her, the more it backfires on him,&rdquo; said a British businessman based in Kyiv, &ldquo;he needs to question his advisers and take a look at his ratings which tell him how well this strategy is working.&rdquo;


...&ldquo;We want 2009 to be a major stepping stone to achieving those goals,&rdquo; said Hryhoriy Nemyria, Deputy Prime Minister, responsible for European integration, who accompanied Ms Tymoshenko on her two-day visit.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Sweden and Ukraine hope for closer ties via European Union</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-11-21T12:11:49-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/570.html#unique-entry-id-634</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/570.html#unique-entry-id-634</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Published in UNIAN


The prime ministers of Sweden and Ukraine Friday discussed Ukraine`s efforts to form closer ties with the European Union.   Sweden hoped to see an association agreement in place between the 27-nation bloc and Ukraine during Sweden`s six-month presidency of the EU next year, Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt said.


Speaking at a joint news conference, Ukrainian Premier Yulia Tymoshenko said she expected a pending "strategic agreement" with Russia would resolve and "normalize" issues like gas supplies, the day after it was reported that Russia wanted Ukraine to repay a 2.4-billion-dollar gas debt.


Touching on bilateral ties, both premiers noted that trade between Sweden and Ukraine had increased in recent years. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Ukraine to Start Talks on Joining European Energy Community - Nemyria</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-11-20T14:27:39-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/569.html#unique-entry-id-633</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/569.html#unique-entry-id-633</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Published in Kyiv Post


Ukraine will start talks regarding its accession to the European energy community, Deputy Prime Minister Hryhoriy Nemyria said at a briefing in Kyiv on Thursday.


He said that the talks would start on November 25 this year and should bring Ukrainian laws in line with energy laws of the European Union.


"Ukraine will be the first country to participate in the European neighborhood policy and launch these talks," Nemyria said.


He said that the European Commission had already received a mandate from the Council of Europe to hold such talks with Ukraine.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>President&#x2019;s hand in yatseniuk&#x2019;s dismissal</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-11-18T08:16:42-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/568.html#unique-entry-id-632</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/568.html#unique-entry-id-632</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[President Viktor Yushchenko, who was attending independence celebrations in Poland, was reportedly displeased with Viktor Baloha, his chief of staff, who is being credited with unseating the 34-year old Mr Yatseniuk (see article page 4). ...  Evidence suggests that the president failed to censure the 10 errant Our Ukraine-People&rsquo;s Self-Defence (OU-PSD) bloc lawmakers (from Mr Baloha&rsquo;s United Centre party) who voted against the rest of his faction.


&ldquo;To my mind, this is the way the president wants to pave the way to pre-term parliamentary elections, because he needs those decisions of the Verkhovna Rada which have not been passed by parliament under Arseniy Yatseniuk&rsquo;s chairmanship,&rdquo; said Ms Tymoshenko.


...The vote to remove him was supported by 175 lawmakers from the Party of Regions, 27 from the Communist Party, 20 from the Lytvyn bloc, 10 from the pro-presidential OU-PSD bloc and a lone lawmaker from the Bloc of Yulia Tymoshenko (BYuT).


...&ldquo;On one level, fisticuffs in parliament look terrible to western eyes,&rdquo; said a British businessman based in Kyiv, &ldquo;but on another it confirms that the democratic process, although immature, is alive and kicking in Ukraine, literally!&rdquo; ...  The search is now on for a new speaker, although First Deputy Prime Minister Oleksandr Turchynov confirmed BYuT would not vote for a new speaker until a new coalition was formed. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Prime Minister of Ukraine yulia tymoshenko participates in a session of the council of heads of cis governments</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-11-14T11:46:28-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/567.html#unique-entry-id-631</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/567.html#unique-entry-id-631</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[By The Press Service of the Government of Ukraine


Prime Minister of Ukraine Yulia Tymoshenko is participating in a session of the Council of Heads of governments of the Commonwealth of Independent States which takes place in the city of Kishinev (the Republic of Moldova).


The visit schedules for holding several bilateral meetings of Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko with Heads of CIS governments, in particular, of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, the Russian Federation.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Yulia tymoshenko met with world bank representatives</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-11-14T11:41:33-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/566.html#unique-entry-id-630</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/566.html#unique-entry-id-630</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Yulia Tymoshenko emphasized the importance of the meeting and the necessity of operative improvement of all needed procedures for Ukraine to obtain the World Bank financial support.


According to Yulia Tymoshenko, the World Bank terms are attractive for Ukraine &ndash; to 5% per annum.


World Bank Country Manager for Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova Martin Reiser stressed that World Bank is ready to stir up cooperation with Yulia Tymoshenkos&rsquo; Cabinet.   With the purpose of attracting additional financial means to the obtained credit resources within the framework of the Stand-By Arrangement of the International Monetary Fund.  ...  The matter concerns the financing of projects on Ukrzaliznytsia re-equipment, construction of Kyiv-Kharkiv highway and other infrastructure objects.


The World Bank will appropriate means for the financial-budget policy, support of economic growth and protection of socially vulnerable groups of the population.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Tymoshenko government progress on OPIC</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-11-12T09:57:28-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/565.html#unique-entry-id-629</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/565.html#unique-entry-id-629</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Ambassador Taylor believes the signing of the MOU is an important step toward securing OPIC&rsquo;s return to Ukraine and an important sign of the faith the United States has in Ukraine and the Ukrainian economy.    Once the steps specified in the memorandum are fulfilled, over $500 million of new investments that will be made in Ukraine in the next 12-18 months with OPIC&rsquo;s help, he says. 


Ambassador Taylor underscores that OPIC's return, like the IMF support package and  other positive economic news such as the widely unheralded recent passage of a Joint Stock Company Law, is evidence Ukraine can take steps to improve the economic and investment climate if the leadership of the major political forces work together for the good of the country.


...Zukoski noted that the MOU signing sends a positive signal to the business community that Ukraine is open for business, and that it will assist in attracting additional strategic investment into the marketplace.


...-Ukraine Business Council (USUBC) the past few years has been to support the return of OPIC's outstanding business and economic development programs to Ukraine." said Morgan Williams, SigmaBleyzer, who serves as President of USUBC.    "USUBC members certainly welcome the signing of the MOU and hope all issues will be resolved quickly so OPIC can once again support U.S. businesses doing business with Ukraine.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Imf approves lifeline loan</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-11-10T16:59:24-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/564.html#unique-entry-id-628</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/564.html#unique-entry-id-628</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Ukraine&rsquo;s banking system and economy have felt the full brunt of the global financial crisis, which has triggered recession in many of its export markets. ...  Shrinking exports, combined with high inflation, relatively low foreign exchange reserves compared with short-term external debt, exposure of banks to foreign funding, and the drying up of liquidity caused by the global credit crunch have led to a significant slowdown.


...Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, said &ldquo;the facility is a great victory, a major battle has been won in the war to stabilise and restore confidence in our banking system and economy.&rdquo;


..."The authorities have developed a strong and comprehensive package of measures to address the challenges Ukraine is facing and the Fund has provided commensurate financial assistance. 

...In recent weeks, the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) was forced to dip into its foreign reserves to prop up the currency. ...  She foresees that foreign reserves will decrease at a lower rate in November due to stricter conditions governing the interbank foreign exchange market. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Obama-tymoshenko epoch in&#x2c; says v. polokhalo</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-11-06T17:05:54-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/563.html#unique-entry-id-627</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/563.html#unique-entry-id-627</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Polokhalo, &ldquo;President-elect Obama is a pragmatist supported by the majority of Americans.   Yulia Tymoshenko is also supported by the majority of Ukrainians.   Republicans were wary of Tymoshenko, but the win by Democrats gives hope that the US will soften its stand toward the premier.&rdquo;


Following the end of the Bush epoch, NATO integration trends in Ukraine promoted by Pres Yushchenko will become weaker.   As a new generation and liberal politician, B.   Obama will prefer to deal with those Ukrainian politicians who are similar to him.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Tymoshenko congratulates obama on his presidential victory</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-11-05T09:22:00-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/562.html#unique-entry-id-626</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/562.html#unique-entry-id-626</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Published in UNIAN


Prime Minister of Ukraine Yulia Tymoshenko has congratulated Barack Obama on his victory in U.S. the presidential election, according to the government's press-office.


In her telegram to Barack Obama, Yulia Tymoshenko noted that "Your victory inspires us.   Things that seemed impossible become feasible".


The Prime Minister of Ukraine is confident that the leadership and inspiration of the new President of the United States of America will change the world for better.   "You assume this presidential office in hard times for the whole world but Your gift for leadership, I am sure, is that what is needed now," Yulia Tymoshenko's telegram reads.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Parliament Passes Anti-Crisis Package</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-11-04T07:54:03-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/561.html#unique-entry-id-625</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/561.html#unique-entry-id-625</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Its recovery came as a relief after Black Wednesday when it shed 14 percent of its value, sinking to a record low of UAH/USD 7.2. ...  The passage of legislation to secure the IMF loan played a big part, as did promises from several Ukrainian banks to refrain from speculating on the currency and a pledge to sell dollars close to market rates.


The tsunami which has swept through Ukraine&rsquo;s financial sector was triggered when investors abandoned emerging markets for the safe-haven of the dollar and euro. 

...Last week, with the support of the president and 20 of the country&rsquo;s largest banks, the NBU agreed to hold the exchange rate at below UAH/USD 6.3. 

...Output in the steel industry, which accounts for 40 percent of the country's exports and 6 percent of gross domestic product, is down 30 percent. 

...&ldquo;We can get through this,&rdquo; said Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, &ldquo;provided there is a government in place that is united in purpose and which can chart the proper course. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Prime minister yulia tymoshenko held a phone conversation with imf managing director dominique strauss-kahn</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-10-29T08:44:41-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/560.html#unique-entry-id-624</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/560.html#unique-entry-id-624</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[The sides said that it is necessary to urgently adopt the key measures by the Ukrainian parliament for bringing Ukraine to economic and financial stability, strengthening trust and cutting vulnerability to large-scale external shocks.

The sides agreed that the realization of the program depends on political stability, which entails a stable government and a working parliament.


Yulia Tymoshenko has invited Dominique Strauss-Kahn to visit Ukraine.   The IMF Chairman thanked for invitation and expressed his wish to visit Ukraine soon.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Imf agrees &#x24;16.5 billion loan package</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-10-27T18:20:59-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/559.html#unique-entry-id-623</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/559.html#unique-entry-id-623</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[A statement from Mr Strauss-Kahn says: "Ukraine has developed a comprehensive policy package designed to help the country meet the balance of payments needs created by the collapse of steel prices, and the global financial turmoil and related difficulties in Ukraine's financial system.   The authorities' programme is intended to support Ukraine's return to economic and financial stability, by addressing financial sector liquidity and solvency problems, by smoothing the adjustment to large external shocks and by reducing inflation. 

...Some six draft laws are being considered by a parliamentary working group which will seek to combine them into one anti-crisis bill that will be voted on by parliament on Tuesday.


&ldquo;This is very good news,&rdquo; said Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko who has urged parliament to focus on approving the necessary legislation rather than preoccupying itself with voting on possible elections. 

...On Friday Ms Tymoshenko urged the NBU to take measures to stabilise the hyrvnia, which last week reached a record low of UAH 6.1 to the dollar. 

...&ldquo;There is no doubt the legislation will be passed,&rdquo; said Minister for Finance Viktor Pynzenyk, &ldquo;the IMF agreement is pivotal to restoring financial and economic stability.&rdquo;]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Teetering on the brink</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-10-21T15:51:11-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/558.html#unique-entry-id-622</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/558.html#unique-entry-id-622</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[On Monday the president made it clear that he thought the financial crisis was best handled by the NSDC and the premier&rsquo;s efforts to form a broad coalition were spurned.


...This is being aggravated by the country&rsquo;s trade deficit, which, for the first eight months of the year, has grown to $12.5 billion from $5.9 billion in the same period last year. 

...Ukraine is seen as a high default risk, with its Credit Default Swaps (an insurance-like contract that promises to cover losses on a bond in the event of default by the bond issuer) now trading at a mind-boggling 2,000 basis points.


...A statement from Fitch said: "The downgrade reflects Fitch's concern that the risk of a financial crisis in Ukraine involving a large depreciation of the currency, further stress in the banking system and significant damage to Ukraine's real economy is significant and rising.&rdquo;


...Given the financial and economic turmoil, most observers are aghast by the president&rsquo;s decision to dissolve parliament and hold an election &ndash; a process that could deprive the country of a government until spring 2009.


&ldquo;It would be morally and politically irresponsible to hold elections at this time,&rdquo; said Ms Tymoshenko, &ldquo;the world is facing its sternest financial crisis for a generation and we decide the best way to resolve it in Ukraine is to spend $80 million on an election. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Rescuing the revolution from yushchenko</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-10-20T10:58:53-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/557.html#unique-entry-id-621</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/557.html#unique-entry-id-621</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[He blocked the sale of regional energy companies, for example, because he claims that their privatization will threaten Ukraine's "national security," though it is corrupt and incompetent state management of these companies that is threatening Ukraine's security by making it vulnerable to energy cutoffs.


...When confronted about this, Volodymyr Stelmakh, the bank's governor, is said to have told Tymoshenko that his policies would destroy her government before they broke the back of the economy.


...Instead of trying to recover support by pursuing the reforms and privatizations that he promised during the Orange Revolution, Yushchenko is planning to take the few members of "Our Ukraine" that he still controls and forge a strategic alliance with the Party of the Regions, the very party that opposed Ukraine's turn to democracy and an open society. 

...Only when Yanukovych sought to use Parliament to strip the president of his powers did Yushchenko summon the will to fight back, dismissing Yanukovych's government and calling for a special election last year. 

...Yushchenko sought to circumvent Parliament by way of a national referendum, but Ukraine's Constitutional court has ruled that only Parliament may determine how constitutional reform is to occur.


...Yushchenko can yet secure an honorable place in history if, instead of obstructing Tymoshenko at every turn, he supports her anticorruption initiatives and constitutional reform, the latter aimed at bringing Ukraine's political system closer to Europe's parliamentary democracies as well as to facilitate Ukraine's European integration.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Tymoshenko to hold consultations on stabilizing situation in ukraine</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-10-15T10:23:33-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/556.html#unique-entry-id-620</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/556.html#unique-entry-id-620</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Yulia Tymoshenko stressed that the issue of coordinating activities of Ukraine and the European Union for overcoming the world financial crisis consequences will be seriously discussed during her today&rsquo;s visit to Brussels.


&ldquo;As soon as I return in Ukraine, I will organize another round of consultations with the President, the opposition leader, and all factions leaders, for they become responsible for fixing al elements of politics, and, consequently &ndash; for they consolidate their activities to prevent the world financial crisis consequences&rdquo;, Yulia Tymoshenko said.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Tymoshenko left on working visit to brussels</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-10-15T09:25:46-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/555.html#unique-entry-id-618</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/555.html#unique-entry-id-618</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Published in UNIAN


Prime Minister of Ukraine Yulia Tymoshenko left on working visit to Brussels, according to the government&rsquo;s press-office.


She is due to meet with Javier Solana, EU Council Secretary General, High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy.


Yulia Tymoshenko will participate in the Summit of European People&rsquo;s Party and will hold a number of bilateral meetings with heads of governments of the EU member-states partaking in the Summit.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Tymoshenko works on as decree challenged</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-10-14T09:03:43-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/554.html#unique-entry-id-617</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/554.html#unique-entry-id-617</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Believing in the inevitably of elections, Yuriy Lutsenko, the leader of the People&rsquo;s Self-Defence party has called for all democratic parties to unite with BYuT on a single list to contest the 7 December pre-term election.


Ms Tymoshenko said that she does not intend to resign until a new coalition is formed, so that the government can commit itself to tackling the deepening global financial crisis affecting Ukraine&rsquo;s economy.


...Compounding the situation is a widening current account deficit and slower growth, fuelled in part by a sharp decline in the demand for steel &ndash; one of the country&rsquo;s major exports.


"In today's situation, with parliament all but absent and the world gripped by an unprecedented economic crisis, Ukraine's government is the only body able to defend the national interest and guarantee stability," said Ms Tymoshenko.


...Kyiv&rsquo;s Administrative Court suspended the president&rsquo;s decree, but the president has appealed to a higher court, arguing that the lower court had no authority to suspend his decree as he fired the judge before he made his ruling.


...On Friday, Interior Minister and People's Self-Defence Leader, Yuriy Lutsenko, called for all democratic parties to unite and campaign on a single list with BYuT.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Ukraine pm says no to early elections</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-10-10T16:59:19-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/553.html#unique-entry-id-616</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/553.html#unique-entry-id-616</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Ukraine's prime minister says there will be no early parliamentary elections, defying a presidential decree that set a Dec. 7 vote.


Yulia Tymoshenko says in a televised statement Friday that early elections are unconstitutional and that the country has no money to pay for them.   She predicts that parliament would reject the new vote.


President Viktor Yushchenko earlier this week moved up the elections, after dropping attempts to revive the shattered pro-Western coalition with Tymoshenko.


Tymoshenko's move raises the stakes in her political battle with Yushchenko.   Her party reportedly went to court to avoid early elections, prompting the president to fire the judge considering the case.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Volatility</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-10-10T16:59:19-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/552.html#unique-entry-id-615</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/552.html#unique-entry-id-615</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[While western Ukraine supported Yushchenko&rsquo;s Our Ukraine bloc in the 2006 parliamentary election, the presidential group slipped into second place behind the Bloc of Yulia Tymoshenko in the 2007 contest.


And last month&rsquo;s poll by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology shows 40.4 percent of western Ukrainians would vote for Tymoshenko as president, while only 14.4 percent would back Yushchenko. 

...Yushchenko traveled to this chilling climate on Oct. 2, reminding foreign investors at the International Economic Forum in Lviv that 2008 is the year of castles.


It was hard to tell from his manner whether he knows he is no longer perceived as a knight in shining armor fighting off Eastern kings and signing treaties with Western legions. 

...We are fighting for a billion,&rdquo; he said, trying to explain the reasons behind Yushchenko&rsquo;s pro-Western agenda. 

...Back in the city, Barvinkov, 24, in his old Lada that is now a taxi, was seeing a seamy side of European integration. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Tymoshenko&#x2019;s Cabinet keeps working till new parliament comes into force</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-10-09T17:00:29-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/551.html#unique-entry-id-613</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/551.html#unique-entry-id-613</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[The government of Yulia Tymoshenko will keep working in full capacity till the new parliament elects new Cabinet.   Our Ukraine deputy Yuri Klyuchkovsky declared.


&ldquo;In full capacity and without any obstacles,&rdquo; Klyuchkovsky said speaking about the nearest future of the Ukrainian government.


At the same time the MP noted that OU-PSD does not plan to withdraw its ministers from the Cabinet of Tymoshenko.   &ldquo;The government will work with all plenary powers till new government formed by the new parliament replaces it,&rdquo; he said.


As a reminder, President Yushchenko dismissed the parliament Wednesday and set early parliamentary elections.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Ukraine election action of a &#x27;desperate man&#x27;: Expert</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-10-09T16:42:49-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/550.html#unique-entry-id-612</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/550.html#unique-entry-id-612</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA["It seems to me the action of a desperate and unpopular man, frustrated as much by his own inabilities to deal with growing inflation and the uncertain division of powers" between his office and the prime minister's.


He said Yushchenko's party is so unpopular it risks falling below the three per cent threshold, the minimum level of popular support on election day to win seats in parliament.


...That in turn would make Ukraine's possible membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, which Yushchenko described as inevitable during a visit to Canada earlier this year, appear even more remote.


..."I am deeply convinced that it was human ambition that destroyed the democratic coalition - one person's ambition, lust for power, differences in values and putting personal interests ahead of national ones," he said.


...Marples said it now looks like either Tymoshenko, who has come under attack for not sufficiently criticizing Russia's invasion of Georgia, or Yanukovych will be the country's next prime minister.


...In parliamentary elections held last September the Party of Regions won 175 seats with 34 per cent of the vote, while Tymoshenko's Bloc took 156 seats with 31 per cent. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Gas talks get off to flying start</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-10-06T08:08:13-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/549.html#unique-entry-id-611</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/549.html#unique-entry-id-611</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Prior to the talks, Gazprom&rsquo;s CEO Alexei Miller announced that the price of gas to Europe had reached a record high of more than $500 per thousand cubic metres.   In the past Gazprom has suggested Ukraine might have to pay $400 per thousand cubic metres.   The Minister of Fuel and Energy, Yuriy Prodan, said that such a cost would hurt Ukraine&rsquo;s energy hungry heavy industry and subsidised consumer market.   Ms Tymoshenko commented that such a price would cause a &ldquo;deep shock to Ukraine&rsquo;s economy.&rdquo;


The premier, supported by the CEO of Naftohaz, Oleh Dubnya, recognised the need to pay market prices but called for a phased increase over a number of years.   &ldquo;There is no doubt that there will be a price increase, because we are gradually, year after year, moving towards a market price,&rdquo; said Ms Tymoshenko.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Business leaders dub potential ukraine election &#x201c;disaster waiting to happen&#x201d;</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-10-06T07:56:37-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/548.html#unique-entry-id-610</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/548.html#unique-entry-id-610</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[It would serve only to enhance political and economic uncertainty, paralyse the institutions of government and fuel negative sentiment,&rdquo; said Vasyl Myroshnychenko, Partner, CFC Consulting.


This view seems to be shared by the Royal Bank of Scotland, which issued a note on 26 September, stating: &ldquo;Obviously early elections are the worst case scenario, as given the challenges, Ukraine needs a strong government to take difficult decisions.&rdquo;


The press-conference panel included Dmytro Tarabakin, MD, Dragon Capital; Oleg Ustenko, Deputy Executive Director, the Bleyzer Foundation; Vasyl Myroshnychenko, Partner, CFC Consulting, Director of the Ukrainian British City Club; and Nadiya Kravets, President Emeritus of the Oxford Ukrainian Society.


...In his blog in the Kyiv Post, Taras Kuzio, a leading political expert and editor of Ukraine Analyst, wrote: &ldquo;Another pre-term election would be bad for Ukraine&rsquo;s economy, bad for Ukraine&rsquo;s entry into NATO (an election would be held at the same time as the December NATO review meeting), even worse for Yushchenko&rsquo;s popularity and could be disastrous for his Our Ukraine-People&rsquo;s Self-Defense bloc (which might not make it into parliament).&rdquo;


...Also last week, a group of luminaries calling themselves &ldquo;In the name of Ukraine&rdquo; held a press briefing and addressed a message to the president and prime minister. 

...Top figures included: Stephan Bolotenyuk, the Chairman of the public initiative and President of the Academy of Original Ideas; Nadiya Chernoukha, Head of the Lugansk Women&rsquo;s Organisation DIYA; Professor Stephan Pavliuk, Congress of Ukrainian Intelligentsia; Dr Olena Pavlova, Professor of Law and the President and founder of the International Standard Franchise Company; Vasyl Tymkovych, the Head of Youth Agrarian Trade Union.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Ukraine pm says ready to revive pro-west</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-10-01T16:47:53-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/547.html#unique-entry-id-608</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/547.html#unique-entry-id-608</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[The coalition government collapsed in September when Yushchenko's party pulled out in protest at Tymoshenko's decision to support a bid by the pro-Russian opposition to reduce the president's powers.


Talks on re-establishing the coalition have made little headway since, raising the prospect of new elections, which Tymoshenko warned Friday would likely be won by pro-Russian parties.


A win by Moscow-friendly politicians would put an end to Yushchenko's efforts to bring the former Soviet republic of 47 million into the NATO military alliance and the European Union.


Yushchenko and Tymoshenko have had a love-hate relationship since 2004, when they joined forces in the so-called Orange Revolution to overturn the rigged election of pro-Russian candidate Viktor Yanukovych as president.


Their latest split was sparked by differences over how Ukraine should react to Russia's war with Georgia, with the president's allies accusing the prime minister of "treason" for not being sufficiently tough on Moscow.


...The premier is due to travel to Moscow on Thursday for talks with her Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on issues including a deal on the delivery of gas to Ukraine.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Ukraine faces goundhog day</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-09-29T10:35:12-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/546.html#unique-entry-id-607</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/546.html#unique-entry-id-607</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Ukraine&rsquo;s richest man and Party of Regions stalwart, Rinat Akhmetov has made it clear he would not countenance such a pairing, and, even if policy compromises were somehow miraculously made, it is unlikely there is sufficient trust on both sides to bring about what many of their party faithful would regard as an &ldquo;unholy union.&rdquo;


...Or else he would never even think of a second term,&rdquo; and that &ldquo;Yushchenko&rsquo;s tactical objective is to remove Tymoshenko from the post of Prime Minister and he sees the main strategic threat in Tymoshenko&rsquo;s presidency.&rdquo;


Ms Tymoshenko suggested on Friday that if a pre-term parliamentary election takes place then it would be logical to hold a simultaneous presidential election, &ldquo;as it will allow us to overcome the present crisis and reshape the political turf.&rdquo;


Many believe that the president&rsquo;s lemming-like rush to an election will be his downfall and that he is blinded by Viktor Baloha in whom he vests an unusual amount of trust.


...Sadly, the constant meddling by the president in the affairs of government left BYuT with no alternative but to seek to push Ukraine firmly down the path of becoming a parliamentary-presidential democracy, where the Cabinet of Ministers is the primary source of executive power.


...An election would be costly, unpopular and come at a time when the nation least needs it - a time when most developed countries are desperately trying to fend off recession and the alarming prospect of a global financial meltdown.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Tymoshenko vows to stay on</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-09-22T10:52:14-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/545.html#unique-entry-id-606</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/545.html#unique-entry-id-606</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Mr Yatsenyuk&rsquo;s resignation was dictated by a clause in the coalition agreement between the Bloc of Yulia Tymoshenko (BYuT) and OU-PSD, which specifies that the Verkhovna Rada chairman (speaker) must resign after the official break-up of the coalition that appointed him to the job.


...There will be many smoke-filled room meetings as politicians try to ward off what would be the third parliamentary election in as many years.


BYuT believes that the best course of action is to re-establish a democratic coalition with OU-PSD and the centrist bloc of Volodymyr Lytvyn.   An outline agreement already appears to have been reached with the 20-seat bloc to bring it into a new coalition if formed.


...Yet many within BYuT would proffer the same of the Party of Regions and see a reconstituted democratic coalition as the only viable alternative to pre-term elections.


Meanwhile, Ms Tymoshenko made it clear that whatever happens, her intention is &ldquo;to continue to follow a reform agenda in Ukraine and maintain our European course. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Clock ticking on formation of new coalition</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-09-18T09:33:38-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/544.html#unique-entry-id-605</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/544.html#unique-entry-id-605</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Talks with the various parties on forming a new coalition government will be ratcheted up over the coming days.   If there is no new coalition in 30-days time, then the president has the right, if he decides to use it, to call a pre-term parliamentary election.   An election would be preceded by a three-month campaign with a polling date likely to be in January 2009.   After an election, parliamentarians have a month to form a coalition and a further month to form a government.    Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko expressed that she wanted to have a coalition with OU-PSD and the centrist Lytvyn bloc. 

...But I want to assure you that the government will operate for a lengthy time and operate successfully," she said.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Orange bloc &#x27;must rule ukraine&#x27;</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-09-17T09:27:09-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/543.html#unique-entry-id-604</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/543.html#unique-entry-id-604</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Ms Tymoshenko leads the second largest group in the 450-seat assembly, after Viktor Yanukovych`s Party of the Regions.


...If those efforts fail, Mr Yushchenko can dissolve parliament and call a snap election.


"The worst-case scenario would be an early election in mid-winter," Mr Nemyria said.


"Still we are in the phase where we haven`t exhausted yet all the possible ways for reaching a strategic compromise."


Mr Yushchenko and Ms Tymoshenko led the 2004 Orange Revolution, which overturned the fraudulent presidential election victory of the pro-Moscow candidate, Viktor Yanukovych.


But since then, the two former allies have become bitter rivals, vying for power ahead of the 2010 presidential election.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Polish pm to visit ukraine</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-09-17T08:56:59-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/542.html#unique-entry-id-603</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/542.html#unique-entry-id-603</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Published by Interfax


Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk will visit Ukraine on September 19, Ukrainian Vice Premier Hryhoriy Nemyria announced on Tuesday.


"On Friday, Prime Minister Donald Tusk will come to Ukraine.   Tusk will open a meeting of the joint Ukrainian-Polish government committee for preparations for the Euro 2012 European football championship finals," he said at a meeting of the Verkhovna Rada committee for cooperation between Ukraine and the European Union.


Nemyria said the Euro 2012 project was not just a sports event for Ukraine, but also a project facilitating Ukraine's integration with Europe.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Ukrainian prime minister yuliya tymoshenko and her czech counterpart mirek topolanek met in kyiv today</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-09-16T08:15:24-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/541.html#unique-entry-id-602</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/541.html#unique-entry-id-602</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Published in UNIAN


The parties signed a protocol on introduction of amendments to the agreement on promotion and mutual protection of investments.


Ms Tymoshenko said that she has high hopes for the Czech presidency of the European Union in 2009.   "It is very important for us because we know that your country is a friend of Ukraine," she stated, adding that she expects real steps on the signing of an agreement on the creation of a free trade area between Ukraine and the European Union and an agreement on political association with the Union.   Mr Topolanek, in turn, confirmed his country's plans to pay particular attention to Ukraine.   He noted that issues of the balanced policy in the basins of the Mediterranean and Black Seas would be put on the agenda of the European Union.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Mutual understanding can be found in parliament &#x2013; tymoshenko</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-09-16T08:15:12-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/540.html#unique-entry-id-601</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/540.html#unique-entry-id-601</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Published in UNIAN


Prime Minister of Ukraine Yulia Tymoshenko believes Ukraine will solve &ldquo;the difficult situation&rdquo; in the Verkhovna Rada, and a mutual understanding will be found.


According to an UNIAN correspondent, Prime Minister of Ukraine Yulia Tymoshenko claimed this in the course of presentation of the draft state buget-209 in Kyiv Tuesday.


&ldquo;I believe we can find a mutual understanding in parliament of Ukraine and create a model that will stop squabbles in Ukraine, and a normal, stable, our Ukrainian life will begin&rdquo;, she said.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Prime minister of ukraine yulia tymoshenko met with us deputy secretary of state daniel fried</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-09-12T12:05:41-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/539.html#unique-entry-id-600</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/539.html#unique-entry-id-600</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[BYuT


Today Prime Minister of Ukraine Yulia Tymoshenko held a meeting with US Deputy Secretary of State Daniel Fried.


The sides have discussed issues on bilateral American-Ukrainian cooperation, Ukraine&rsquo;s EuroAtlantic integration and issues on national security.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Ukraine&#x27;s vice prime minister for european and international integration hryhoriy nemyria met in tbilisi head of osce mission to georgia terhi hakala</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-09-09T15:31:19-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/538.html#unique-entry-id-599</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/538.html#unique-entry-id-599</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA["Ukraine's actions serve a part of the European Union joint efforts to settle the conflict in South Caucasus," Mr Nemyria said.


According to the Vice Premier, Ukraine's position on preservation of Georgia's territorial integrity and sovereignty, as well as the need to avoid unreasoned unilateral actions during settlement of the conflict, has fully meet the official position of the EU.   At the meeting, the parties discussed the progress in implementing a peaceful plan of the conflict settlement.   The OSCE Mission to Georgia Head informed Mr Nemyria of the situation in the regions adjacent to South Ossetia and Abkhazia.   For his part, the Ukrainian official dwelled on the need for further stage of the peaceful conflict settlement, namely withdrawal of the Russian peacekeeping forces from 5 observation points on the line from Poti to Senaki, as well as full withdrawal of the peacekeepers from the area close to South Ossetia and Abkhazia to the line of the beginning of the combat operations.   "This will allow to fully use humanitarian corridors, which is important in view of the situation in distant areas," he stressed.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Wanted: eu anchor - deputy pm hryhoriy nemyria</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-09-08T12:34:11-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/537.html#unique-entry-id-598</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/537.html#unique-entry-id-598</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[While the energy factor has dominated much of the debate in recent weeks over how the EU should respond to Russian aggression, European minds have also been focused by the speed with which a supposedly frozen conflict in the Caucasus was transformed into a full scale warzone.   With numerous similar frozen conflicts located throughout the former USSR, not least on the EU&rsquo;s doorstep in Moldova, the threat of military destabilisation has become more real than at any time since the early 1990s when the Balkan conflict threatened the EU&rsquo;s southern flank. ...  &ldquo;There is an opportunity here for the EU to take Ukraine seriously in terms of its integration, specifically into European security and defence policy (ESDP),&rdquo; he adds.


...He adds that in practice this would mean more formal ties with ESDP, a roadmap to future visa-free travel as well as the planned free trade agreement. 

...Nemyria paints a persuasive picture of the country&rsquo;s Euro credentials, arguing that Kyiv has not yet received the kind of EU recognition it deserves for the successes of the past 17 years in avoiding some of the worse excesses which followed the Soviet collapse.


He points to the absence of any ethnic violence in independent Ukraine as one of the country&rsquo;s greatest achievements, and despite growing public disillusionment with the country&rsquo;s squabbling political class remains defiantly upbeat about Ukraine&rsquo;s embryonic parliamentary pluralism. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Political storm clouds over evian</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-09-08T09:33:36-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/536.html#unique-entry-id-597</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/536.html#unique-entry-id-597</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[In contrast, the EU has become Ukraine&rsquo;s largest trading partner &ndash; accounting for 31 percent of its exports and 45.6 percent of its imports.   In 2007 this trade was valued by the European Commission at &euro;34.8 billion ($50.6 billion) &ndash; more than twice Ukraine&rsquo;s trade with Russia, which amounts to &euro;13.8 billion ($21 billion).


&ldquo;If we are to prosper in our European aspirations, we must demonstrate political stability,&rdquo; said Mr Nemyria, &ldquo;we can align ourselves to meet various economic and institutional criteria, but political stability is a fundamental pre-condition of the entry process.&rdquo;


The Chairman of the European Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee, Jacek-Sariucz Wolski, underlined that the coalition was facing a problem of credibility over whether it could follow a European agenda.   He called for &ldquo;unity of the Orange coalition, not break-up.&rdquo;   This is a position endorsed wholeheartedly by the Bloc of Yulia Tymoshenko.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Tymoshenko and cheney have an exceeded meeting</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-09-05T07:53:17-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/535.html#unique-entry-id-596</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/535.html#unique-entry-id-596</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Prime Minister of Ukraine Yulia Tymoshenko and Vice President of the United States Richard Cheney have met in Kyiv.   During the meeting, the Ukrainian and American delegations discussed issues of regional security, stability in the region and in Ukraine, and diversification of energy sources.


UNIAN has learnt this from Prime Minister's Press Secretary Maryna Soroka.


According to her, at the beginning of the meeting, Yulia Tymoshenko thanked Richard Cheney for support offered by the United States to Ukraine in developing democracy.


..."The democratic government and democratic parliament have secured one of the highest showings of economic growth over the last several years &ndash; 6.5%", Yulia Tymoshenko pointed out.


The meeting of Yulia Tymoshenko and Richard Cheney lasted for 40 minutes instead of planned 20.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Yulia tymoshenko wants to introduce a parliamentary form of government in ukraine</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-09-05T07:50:37-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/534.html#unique-entry-id-595</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/534.html#unique-entry-id-595</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko expects that changes to the Constitution will be approved prior to the next presidential elections in Ukraine.


...This statement was in response to a journalist&rsquo;s question on whether she plans to run for president in the next presidential elections.


...&ldquo;I think that there will be changes to the Constitutions before the presidential elections that will give the country a strong parliamentary form of government.   And I believe that only such a form of democracy can give rise to stability, predictability, unity and most importantly &ndash; absolute absence of crisis,&rdquo; said Tymoshenko.


...Prior to this, during a television appeal on Wednesday evening on the political situation, Tymoshenko said that in the nearest future she intends to propose &ldquo;constitutions changes that are absolutely well thought over and necessary for Ukraine.&rdquo;

...&ldquo;I believe that new changes to the Constitution will consolidate parliament and all sound forces. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Tymoshenko held telephone conversation with prime minister of poland</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-09-01T16:16:35-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/527.html#unique-entry-id-594</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/527.html#unique-entry-id-594</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko held a telephone conversation with Prime Minister of Poland Donald Tusk, according to the government`s press-office.


In the course of the conversation issues on regional security and consequences of the military conflict in Southern Caucasia as well as Ukraine&rsquo;s European and Euro-Atlantic integration have been discussed.


Donald Tusk informed the Prime Minister of Ukraine on preparation for a special summit of the European Union, slated for Monday, 1 September in Brussels.


Yulia Tymoshenko expressed support of the Plan on regulating the conflict endorsed by the European Union and emphasized the necessity of its unconditional implementation by all sides of the conflict. 

...&ldquo;Ukraine has all opportunities for further integration to the European security and defense policy, in particular, including participation in settling crises, peacekeeping and humanitarian tasks,&rdquo; the PM of Ukraine stressed.


The Prime Minister of Poland thanked Yulia Tymoshenko for constructive and important stand of the Government of Ukraine in the process of settling the conflict.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Cheney arrives in ukraine</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-09-04T16:08:35-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/531.html#unique-entry-id-593</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/531.html#unique-entry-id-593</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[U.S.   Vice President Dick Cheney has arrived in Ukraine, as part of a tour of several ex-Soviet republics amid an escalating standoff with Russia over the war in Georgia. 


In Kyiv, Cheney is slated to meet with President Viktor Yushchenko and Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Yulia tymoshenko held telephone conversation with javier solana</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-09-04T16:08:45-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/533.html#unique-entry-id-592</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/533.html#unique-entry-id-592</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Published in UNIAN


Prime Minister of Ukraine Yulia Tymoshenko held a telephone conversation today with Secretary General of the Council of Ministers of the EU &ndash; EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana, according to the government`s press-office.


The conversation concerned issues on regional security in the context of the military conflict between Russia and Georgia and Ukraine&rsquo;s European integration.


The sides agreed that preserving internal political stability is necessary condition for Ukraine&rsquo;s approaching the EU.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Cabinet not planning to take measures on involving migrant workers in process of ukraine&#x27;s preparations for euro finals</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-09-04T16:08:43-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/532.html#unique-entry-id-591</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/532.html#unique-entry-id-591</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Published by NRCU


Vice Premier Hryhoriy Nemyria stated this at a press conference today, which was dedicated to the opening of the 8th Council of Europe Conference of Ministers responsible for migration affairs in Kyiv.


He said that the question of Ukraine's preparations for the finals of the Euro 2012 European Football Championship concerns investment, legal provision and coordination of work with Poland.   Mr Nemyria noted that the abovementioned issues would be discussed during a joint meeting between Ukrainian and Polish working groups on Euro 2012 preparations in mid September.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Byut loyal to democratic ideals</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-09-03T18:26:29-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/530.html#unique-entry-id-590</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/530.html#unique-entry-id-590</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Bloc of Yulia Tymoshenko sees no options for a parliamentary coalition except with the bloc of OU-PSD.   According to REGNUM correspondent in Kiev, it was announced today, September 3rd by Tymoshenko's Bloc.


&ldquo;Bloc of Yulia Tymoshenko (BYuT) does not see any other coalition except for the democratic one.   Effective voting on issues that are the priority for the state is not a betrayal,&rdquo; this was stated in the announcement.   Moreover, BYuT's MP Andrey Shkil told Ukrainian TV that BYT wasn't going to initiate President Viktor Yushchenko's impeachment or create a coalition with the Party of Regions. ...  To overcome the crisis within the coalition, negotiations should be undertaken", Shkil said.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Yulia tymoshenko to participate in opening of council of europe migration conference</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-09-03T18:20:33-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/529.html#unique-entry-id-589</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/529.html#unique-entry-id-589</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[On Thursday, September 4, Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko will take part in the opening of the 8th Council of Europe Conference of Ministers Responsible for Migration Affairs.


The theme of the conference, which will take place in Kyiv on 4-5 September 2008, is 'Economic migration, social cohesion and development: towards an integrated approach'. 

...Ministers from the member states of the Council of Europe competent for migration affairs, integration of migrants and community relations will participate in the conference.


Ministers from several non-member states having observer status with the Council of Europe (Australia, Canada, Holy See, Japan, Mexico and USA) or involved in cooperation with member states on the themes of the conference (Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cape Verde, China, Congo, India, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Nigeria, Pakistan, Morocco, Senegal, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Vietnam, Uzbekistan) have also been invited to take part together with the European Commission, the Council of the European Union and other international governmental and non-governmental organizations.


The conference will provide an opportunity for ministers to debate and agree on policy solutions relevant to the conditions prevailing in their countries and stemming from the increasing flows of economic migrants, in particular, East to West and within the Eastern region of Europe.


The conference will examine the link between economic migration and development from the perspective of both countries of origin and destination as well as the impact of emigration on development and social cohesion.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Pm urges extra investment in coal mining</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-09-02T09:25:30-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/528.html#unique-entry-id-588</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/528.html#unique-entry-id-588</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[BYuT officials have campaigned for miners to be paid realistic salaries and for an end to piecemeal payment where miners are only paid if coal is produced. ...  The recent disaster at the Karl Marx coal mine near Yenakiyevo city, in the Donbass, killed miners believed to have ignored an order closing the mine due to safety violations.


...Indeed, Ukraine has become a regional leader in installing the latest technology to expand the use of recovered methane gas for on-site power generation.


The JSC Coal Company Krasnoarmeiskaya Zapadnaya is the latest in Ukraine to announce the modernisation of its coal mining operations and signed a framework agreement with GE Energy.  

...Attending the opening of the Novokostiantynivsk field uranium-ore extraction facility near the village of Oleksiivka in the Malovyskivskyi district of the Kirovohrad Oblast, the premier remarked on the importance of nuclear power to Ukraine&rsquo;s future energy mix.


Witnessing the extraction of the first tub of uranium-ore, the premier said it was a major step in building Ukraine&rsquo;s own nuclear fuel-cycle for the country. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Tymoshenko held a telephone conversation with merkel</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-08-29T16:14:21-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/526.html#unique-entry-id-587</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/526.html#unique-entry-id-587</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Prime Minister of Ukraine Yulia Tymoshenko held a telephone conversation with Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel, according to the government&rsquo;s press-office.


The conversation concerned discussion of issues on regional security in the context of the military conflict in Southern Caucasia and Ukraine&rsquo;s European and Euro-Atlantic integration.


...Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko has backed up the Plan on regulating the conflict, approved by the European Union, in particular, due to proactive approach of France and Germany.


&ldquo;Ukraine wants to be a constructive part of the EU&rsquo;s efforts,&rdquo; Yulia Tymoshenko noted in the course of conversation. 

...Angela Merkel, in her turn, emphasized the importance of avoiding escalation of tension and inadmissibility of steps which can result in unilateral unanticipated actions.   &ldquo;Under conditions of increasing threats for regional security, preserving political stability should be Ukraine&rsquo;s priority. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Historical mastermind</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-08-29T08:43:17-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/525.html#unique-entry-id-586</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/525.html#unique-entry-id-586</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[The most immediate concern for Ukraine&rsquo;s policymakers is the negotiation of a new association agreement with the EU, which will include sweeping free-trade provisions that could open the EU&rsquo;s vast market to Ukrainian goods, while exposing uncompetitive Ukrainian firms to new challenges. 

...Stints at Washington&rsquo;s Center for Strategic and International Studies, Harvard University, the NATO Defence College in Rome and the University of Bordeaux have exposed him to different mentalities and ways of doing business &ndash; not a trivial matter for someone who spent the first 31 years of his life in the Soviet Union.


...But the people he talks to in the EU appreciate the solidity and focus of the trained historian, qualities that will be in demand when the two sides meet for a key summit in Evian, France, on 9 September.   Tymoshenko told European Voice earlier this year that she expected &ldquo;some sort of political association which would help us in our bid for EU membership&rdquo; &ndash; the one thing the EU is reluctant to offer.   &ldquo;The EU hasn&rsquo;t changed its approach to Ukraine substantially since the revolution,&rdquo; says an observer of Ukrainian affairs, likening the EU to &ldquo;a super-tanker that takes a long time to turn around&rdquo;.


...Another dualism frequently mentioned by Western diplomats is firmly rejected by Nemyria: the idea that Ukraine really is two countries, one in the west that looks to Europe and is ethnic Ukrainian, and one to the east that looks to Moscow and is ethnic Russian. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Ukraine supports georgia&#x27;s integrity - tymoshenko</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-08-28T11:43:57-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/524.html#unique-entry-id-585</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/524.html#unique-entry-id-585</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Georgia's territorial integrity must be preserved, Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko said.


"I, as prime minister, the Ukrainian government and the political force I head, support Georgia's integrity absolutely.   All decisions being made contrary to this position will absolutely not be supported," Tymoshenko said at a press briefing in Kyiv on Wednesday.


...We think therefore that the peace policy must be shaped precisely in a way that will protect the territorial integrity of states from all illegal encroachments," she said.


"My position is that we must restore peace and tranquility, and not bring grist to the mill of confrontation.   If we don't change the position on Crimea, if we don't harmonize relations with the Black Sea Fleet, we will be in for very serious problems," Tymoshenko said.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Prime minister of ukraine yulia tymoshenko meets with foreign secretary of britain david miliband</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-08-27T11:55:07-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/523.html#unique-entry-id-584</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/523.html#unique-entry-id-584</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Today Prime Minister of Ukraine Yulia Tymoshenko held a meeting with the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs David Miliband.


The Premier aired support for territorial integrity and sovereignty of Georgia as well as the suggested plan by the EU states of conflict settlement and stressed the need to avoid a humanitarian catastrophe within the region.


Yulia Tymoshenko has drawn attention to the necessity to strengthen the security dimension for Ukraine within the frames of a new agreement between Ukraine and the EU.


Prime Minister of Ukraine has also emphasized that the strategic course of our state for European and Euro-Atlantic integration is invariable.


Foreign Secretary of Britain David Miliband stressed that an essential condition for the successful European and Euro-Atlantic integration of Ukraine appears political stability, the key component of which is the unity of government and coalition.


The parties have also discussed issues of bilateral cooperation between Ukraine and Great Britain.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Tymoshenko to address ministers from council of europe member states in kyiv</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-08-27T11:54:42-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/522.html#unique-entry-id-583</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/522.html#unique-entry-id-583</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[A final press conference is scheduled at 12.15 pm on Friday 5 September.


The Conference will take place at the International Exhibition Centre in Kyiv (Brovarskiy Avenue 15).


Only the inaugural session will be open to the press from 9 am to 10 am on Thursday 4 September.   A family photo will be organised at the end of the opening session.


The conference will be followed on 5 September, in the afternoon, by a European Parliamentary Forum on Economic Migration, Social Cohesion and Development, organised by the Sub-Committee on Migration of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly, the European Parliament and the Ukrainian Parliament (Verkhovna Rada).]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Byut dismisses hysterical statement</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-08-26T09:42:45-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/521.html#unique-entry-id-582</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/521.html#unique-entry-id-582</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Senior BYuT officials claimed that Ms Tymoshenko made her views on the conflict clear from the outset, in that Georgian sovereignty and territorial integrity must be observed.   The Cabinet of Ministers merely deferred major statements on the conflict to the president and got on with the important job of evacuating Ukrainian citizens and their families and coordinating deliveries of humanitarian aid.


&ldquo;It is entirely inappropriate for the president&rsquo;s office to seek to politicise the conflict for domestic purposes &ndash; we don't do PR on bloodshed, such behavior is inexcusable,&rdquo; said Mr Nemyria.


...If I had it I would offer my assessment," said the former prime minister and leader of the Party of Regions. 

...Ukraine&rsquo;s first president, Leonid Kravchuk, said he was against officials making irresponsible statements and noted that Ms Tymoshenko has been accused of all crimes imaginable. ...  When they accuse her of not starting the Armageddon, I will say it out and loud they are nuts, and instead of going in for politics they should be going for treatment in a clinic.&rdquo;]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>&#x201c;Why is the boss mum?&#x201d; &#x2013; leonid kravchuk asks pres yushchenko</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-08-21T15:05:47-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/520.html#unique-entry-id-581</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/520.html#unique-entry-id-581</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[If presidential office officials have proof of Tymoshenko&rsquo;s high treason and say they have handed it to the prosecutors (and this means that they have some documents) and prosecutors deny seeing any documents, then the question arises &ldquo;Why does the incumbent keep a low profile and does not react to such tomfoolery?&rdquo; 

...&ldquo;It is abominable and indecent when officials accuse the premier of the gravest crime one can imagine for a politician, with the president keeping a tight lip, Kravchuk adds. 

...I am opposed to ways when officials make irresponsible statements, and the incumbent doesn&rsquo;t bring them to account,&rdquo; Kravchuk stresses.


Tymoshenko, he goes on, has been accused of all crimes imaginable, and now the presidential team has accused her of the gravest crime, high treason. ...  When they accuse her of not starting the Armageddon, I will say it out and loud they are nuts, and instead of being in politics they should be treated in a clinic,&rdquo; the first president noted.


...Kravchuk is convinced that even if the opposition manages to sack the cabinet, it won&rsquo;t be able to create a coalition and appoint a new premier. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Conflict in georgia could speed up ukraine&#x27;s european integration</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-08-18T15:39:04-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/519.html#unique-entry-id-579</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/519.html#unique-entry-id-579</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Nemyrya also rejected criticism from the presidential entourage regarding Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko's belated public response to the situation in Georgia.


"The framework of the discussion regarding the presence or absence of loud statements has been artificially reformatted.   We do not and will not promote ourselves on someone's blood," he said.


The absence of Tymoshenko's public response was also intended to avoid "the escalation of rhetoric" surrounding the conflict, he said.


"The president logically assumed the role of reflecting the official position," Nemyrya said.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Ukrainian envoy says georgia a &#x27;lesson for ukraine&#x27;</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-08-15T14:45:44-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/518.html#unique-entry-id-578</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/518.html#unique-entry-id-578</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[The posture has angered Russia, which often seems to regard both Ukraine and Georgia as wayward neighbors that should be brought back into Moscow's orbit.   Kyiv and Tbilisi have actively sought membership in the NATO military alliance, an aim that infuriates the Kremlin and is believed to have played a significant role in Russia's military advance on Georgia.


...And of course, Ukraine has a frozen conflict on its own border" -- a reference to Moldova's breakaway region of Transdniester, which like South Ossetia and a third separatist region, Abkhazia, enjoys Moscow's strong support.


..."European leaders must now realize that the South Ossetia conflict has opened such a vacuum throughout the entire area that Moscow sometimes calls its 'near abroad.'   We welcome the EU's effort -- led by France, and supported by Germany and others -- to be more visible as an actor in the region."


Nemyria dismissed speculation that Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko -- who has been notably silent on the current Georgia-Russia conflict -- is hoping to secure Russia's support for a future presidential bid.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Tymoshenko: ukraine stands in solidarity with georgia</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-08-13T08:30:42-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/517.html#unique-entry-id-576</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/517.html#unique-entry-id-576</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko responded again to the Georgian crisis on Wednesday, stating, "We stand in solidarity with the democratically-elected leadership of Georgia. ...  Earlier on Tuesday, Tymoshenko sent Vice Prime Minister Hryhoriy Nemyria as a Special Envoy to Tbilisi.   "Actions speak louder than words," said Nemyria from Tbilisi, "so it is important to be on the ground, lending our first-hand support to the government of Georgia. ...  Nemyria, responsible for European and International Integration, explained, "This crisis makes crystal clear that the security vacuums that have existed in the post-Soviet space remain dangerous.   Because it is the largest country in the region after Russia, and because it shares such a long border with the European Union, Ukraine remains at risk in this type of vacuum."   While in Georgia, Nemyria was scheduled to meet with Georgian officials, as well as other international envoys that had arrived in Tbilisi.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Tymoshenko sends her envoy to georgia</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-08-12T10:39:58-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/516.html#unique-entry-id-575</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/516.html#unique-entry-id-575</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Published in UNIAN


The government will send Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine Hryhoriy Nemyria as its special envoy to Georgia.


According to the government&rsquo;s press-office, this decision was made at the extraordinary session of the Cabinet of Ministers on proposal of Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko.


In line with the government&rsquo;s decision, H.Nemyria will study the situation in Georgia and will take part in diplomatic and political measures.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Ukraine calls on russian troops to withdraw</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-08-12T10:29:50-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/515.html#unique-entry-id-574</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/515.html#unique-entry-id-574</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Recently, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Georgia&rsquo;s ambition to join NATO &ldquo;will lead to renewed bloodshed,&rdquo; adding, as if that was not enough, &ldquo;we will do anything not to allow Georgia and Ukraine to join NATO.&rdquo;


...With conflict on Georgia&rsquo;s borders unlikely to be resolved quickly, most analysts doubt Georgia&rsquo;s membership aspirations will be embraced any time soon and that the former-Soviet state may have overestimated Western support.


Meanwhile, an international mission comprising UN and EU representatives have descended on Georgia&rsquo;s capital Tbilisi in the hope of brokering an unconditional ceasefire and resolving the conflict.   On Sunday the Georgian government declared a unilateral ceasefire and said it had withdrawn all its troops from South Ossetia.


Ukraine&rsquo;s Deputy Prime Minister, Hryhoriy Nemyria, said, &ldquo;We are deeply saddened by the events and call for an immediate cessation of hostilities. ...  The President of Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvili, has a good personal relationship with Ukraine&rsquo;s prime minister, Yulia Tymoshenko, and was the first foreign leader to congratulate her on her strong showing in the parliamentary election last September.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Cabinet of ministers passed decision on compensation of losses to people suffered from flood</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-08-08T13:30:55-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/514.html#unique-entry-id-573</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/514.html#unique-entry-id-573</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[First Deputy Prime Minister Oleksandr Turchynov said this in the course of a selector conference with heads of the accident-hit regions.


By the scale of the loss, the flood victims will be divided into three categories.   The first category includes people whose housing was completely destroyed and who will get advance payments of UAH 50,000 from the national budget.   The second includes people whose houses need capital repairs and who will thus receive UAH 20,000.   And the third one includes people with partially destroyed housing, to whom UAH 5,000 will be paid.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Government of ukraine:  statement on vanco investigation and negotiations</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-08-08T12:02:37-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/513.html#unique-entry-id-572</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/513.html#unique-entry-id-572</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[	&bull;	The GoU has consistently pursued good-faith negotiations with the Vanco companies to achieve an amicable solution to the dispute, so long as they are mutually beneficial and carried on in a cooperative atmosphere.    On several occasions, the GoU has proposed to the Vanco Companies an agenda for negotiations, covering all of the circumstances leading to the present dispute, including the circumstances surrounding the initial tender process, the negotiation and execution of the HSA with Vanco International Ltd., and the purported assignment of rights from Vanco International Ltd. to Vanco Prykerchenska Ltd.  

...	&bull;	The decision of Vanco Prykerchenska Ltd. to initiate arbitration at the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce was inconsistent both with its earlier representations and with the conduct of productive, good-faith negotiations.    For this reason, the GoU has informed the Vanco Companies that negotiations will not take place unless Vanco Prykerchenska Ltd. agrees to suspend the Stockholm arbitration.    Should the Stockholm arbitration not be suspended, or if negotiations prove unsuccessful, the GoU is fully prepared to defend the interests of Ukraine by all legal and contractual means available.


	&bull;	The Ministry of Justice, duly authorized by the Government of Ukraine, has retained Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer as legal counsel to defend Ukraine's interests in all negotiations related to the Vanco dispute.  ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Yulia tymoshenko pleased with approval of amendments to state budget</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-07-31T10:11:15-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/512.html#unique-entry-id-571</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/512.html#unique-entry-id-571</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[In addition to the government&rsquo;s draft law, draft amendments to the budget were also submitted by the President and Party of Regions.


...On July 31, the Verkhovna Rada approved amendments to the law on the State Budget, according to which 5,046,800 hryvnias will be allocated for the flood clean-up effort in Western Ukraine. 441 deputies voted in favor.

...Afterwards the deputies also voted through an increase in the excise tax for tobacco products, to which the government was insisting.


...Deputies did not vote in favor of providing 24 billion hryvnias in subsidies to Ukravtodor.


...Deputies also failed to change administration of budget funds.   According to the newly adopted law, budget funds will be administered by local executive government bodies.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Turchynov&#x2c; british ambassador discuss investment climate in ukraine</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-07-30T15:16:04-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/511.html#unique-entry-id-570</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/511.html#unique-entry-id-570</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Published in Interfax


Ukrainian First Vice Premier Oleksandr Turchynov and British Ambassador to Ukraine Leigh Turner have discussed bilateral cooperation, the investment climate in Ukraine and the prospects for developing trade and economic relations.


Turchynov was speaking with Turner during a meeting in Kyiv on Monday, the first vice premier's press service has reported.


Speaking about Ukraine's investment climate, Turchynov said that foreign investments are necessary for the development of the Ukrainian economy.


"The government will do everything so that national and foreign businessmen feel confident in our country," he said.


During their meeting, the officials also said that they view mutual relations as a strategic partnership and would do their best to deepen these relations.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Gas price formula reached</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-07-28T07:50:06-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/510.html#unique-entry-id-569</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/510.html#unique-entry-id-569</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[The agreement of a gas price formula for 2009 bodes well for gradually increasing prices over a number of years, so as to bring Ukraine in line with market prices.


...In June, Gazprom suggested that this could rise to more than $400 per thousand cubic metres in 2009 if Central Asian gas producers pressed ahead with further prices increases.


Turkmenistan raised its price for gas to Gazprom to $130 per thousand cubic metres in the first half of this year and $150 in the second half, up from $100 in 2007.


&ldquo;We recognise that we will have to transition to higher gas prices,&rdquo; said Yuriy Prodan, Minister for Fuel and Energy, &ldquo;the issue is all about timing.&rdquo;


...If all the agreements available come into effect, we could finally pump 14.5-15 billion cubic metres,&rdquo; said Prime Minister Tymoshenko.


...Some experts believe that Russia will not be ready to disclose a gas price for 2009 until after the December NATO Summit &ndash; the meeting which is likely to determine if Ukraine joins the NATO Membership Action Plan.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Ukraine is irreplaceable country for european union&#x2c; ukrainian vice premier hryhoriy nemyria believes</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-07-24T09:38:49-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/509.html#unique-entry-id-568</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/509.html#unique-entry-id-568</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Published in NRCU


Ukraine is an irreplaceable country for the European Union, if it wants to be a global player, Ukrainian Vice Premier for European and International Integration Hryhoriy Nemyria said commenting on the European integration of Ukraine.


"We have no other alternatives to membership.   I have no doubts that one day we will achieve this.  &nbsp;In his opinion, attracting a greater number of foreign companies to Ukraine is an urgent task for the country.   In addition, it is also necessary to accelerate the implementation of privatization and a court reform to improve Ukraine's investment climate, the vice premier said.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Yulia tymoshenko and angela merkel discuss strategy for deepening bilateral cooperation between ukraine and germany</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>key stories</category><dc:date>2008-07-22T12:06:12-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/508.html#unique-entry-id-567</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/508.html#unique-entry-id-567</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have agreed to revive bilateral relations between their two countries. 

...According to her, this is highlighted by the high level of trade between the two countries and the volume of German investment in the Ukrainian economy. 

...Yulia Tymoshenko believes that Ukraine has to develop a partnership strategy with Germany, in particular, and the EU as a whole, and determine lines for cooperation on economics, energy and issues related to the creation of a joint defense system in the EU. 

...&ldquo;I hope that today&rsquo;s meeting will give an additional push to our bilateral relations,&rdquo; underscored the Prime Minister.   &nbsp;&ldquo;We reached an agreement on energy policy that provides for diversification (of energy sources) and energy conservation,&rdquo; said Tymoshenko after her meeting with Merkel. 


...In addition, Yulia Tymoshenko promised that the Ukrainian government will quickly solve the problems related to returning all premises to the Lutheran Church. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Merkel visits kyiv&#x2c; looks to boost ukraine&#x27;s integration with europe</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-07-21T14:37:14-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/507.html#unique-entry-id-564</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/507.html#unique-entry-id-564</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Merkel was in Kyiv on a one-day visit focusing on a variety of issues including Ukraine's future integration with the European Union. 

...Merkel, in Kiev for the first time as chancellor, noted the two nations had close ties.


...Germany firmly expresses its interest in relations with Ukraine both of economic and political character," Merkel said.


Earlier this year Ukraine was denied a roadmap to membership, mainly because of Germany's opposition.   Ukraine was promised it would eventually be welcomed into the alliance but needs further reform.


A new partnership deal is due to be discussed at the next EU-Ukraine summit in France in September.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Tymosheko government passes stern test</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-07-17T12:24:48-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/506.html#unique-entry-id-563</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/506.html#unique-entry-id-563</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Following the vote, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada, Arseniy Yatsenyuk, called for a half-hour break and Ms Tymoshenko received a rousing standing ovation from the chamber.


...&ldquo;This is an important victory and complete vindication for the government and the direction in which we need to take the nation,&rdquo; said Ms Tymoshenko, &ldquo;there is much work left to do.&rdquo;


...&ldquo;The failure of the no-confidence vote confirms that the orange coalition exists and that parliament is not interested in either a change of government or another pre-term election,&rdquo; said Dr Taras Kuzio, a Research Associate at the Institute for European, Russian and Eurasian Studies, George Washington University and a Senior Research Fellow at the University of Toronto.   &ldquo;The bluff of the Party of Regions was called and it failed to win support beyond itself, showing that its proposal for a vote was not in the national interest but greed to return to the profits of being in power,&rdquo; added Dr Kuzio.


...BYuT officials denied this, saying the blockade was purely to force a vote on vital legislation regarding changes to the 2008 state budget.


...The Budget Code says that the Cabinet of Ministers is the only authority, entitled to table any proposals concerning the budget in force or the budget of the current year,&rdquo; said BYuT lawmaker Sergei Terekhin.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Austria expressed full support of ukraine&#x2019;s integration into europe</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-07-15T16:48:33-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/505.html#unique-entry-id-562</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/505.html#unique-entry-id-562</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Prime Minister of Ukraine Yulia Tymoshenko held a meeting with Federal Chancellor of Austria Alfred Gusenbauer in a narrow circle. 

...On the outcomes of the meeting Yulia Tymoshenko and Alfred Gusenbauer met in a wide circle where from the Ukrainian side participating were Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine Hryhoriy Nemyria, Economics Minister of Ukraine Bohdan Danylyshyn, Minister of Transport and Communications Yosyp Vinskyi and Minister of Family, Youth and Sports Yuriy Pavlenko.   The Austrian side for the meeting is represented by State Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Transport, Innovations and Technologies of Austria Christa Kranzl and others.


On completion of the meeting the Ministry of Transport and Communications of Ukraine and the Federal Ministry of Transport, Innovations and Technologies of Austria signed the Agreement on cooperation in the field of transport infrastructure and technology exchange.


At the press conference after the intergovernmental talks, Federal Chancellor of Austria expressed full support of Ukraine&rsquo;s integration into Europe.


&ldquo;Ukraine is a European state and we welcome the fact that Ukraine and EU are discussing the agreement on free trade zone. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Tymoshenko visits poland</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-07-14T08:54:04-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/504.html#unique-entry-id-560</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/504.html#unique-entry-id-560</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Yulia Tymoshenko is paying her first visit to Poland on Monday, since becoming prime minister of Ukraine last autumn.


According to an UNIAN correspondent, during the visit to Poland Prime Minister of Ukraine Yulia Tymoshenko will meet with Prime Minister of Poland Donald Tusk.   The heads of&nbsp;governments will also hold the first session of intergovernmental Ukrainian-Polish committee on issues concerning preparation and carrying out of Euro-2012. 

...Vice Prime Ministers of Ukraine Ivan Vasunik and Grygoriy Nemyrya, Family, Youth and Sport Minister Yuri Pavlenko, Transport and Communication Minister Yosyp Vinskyi, Economics Minister Bogdan Danilishyn, Minister of Regional Development and Building Vassyl Kuibida and Interior Affairs Minister Yuri Lutsenko and others accompany Yu.

...PM Tymoshenko, who survived a no-confidence vote in the Ukrainian parliament last Friday, is also to take part in a session of the intergovernmental committee for Euro 2012.


The politicians are also to discuss economic and energy co-operation, as well as Kyiv&rsquo;s NATO aspirations.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Confidence in tymoshenko reaffirmed</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>key stories</category><dc:date>2008-07-11T23:42:52-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/503.html#unique-entry-id-559</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/503.html#unique-entry-id-559</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Ukraine's Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko comfortably overcame a no-confidence vote on Friday called by opposition Party of Regions led by former Prime minister Victor Yanukovich.


...Tymoshenko urged parliament to back her government's reforms, including liberalization of the economy and measures to tame inflation which hit an annual 31 percent last month, the highest for about a decade.


...Tymoshenko, in power just eight months, said "No government can function if it is on the brink of dismissal.   If it has no majority, a new coalition must be formed and new leaders found for the country," she told the chamber.


...An admirer of Margaret Thatcher, she likened her position to that of the former British prime minister. 

...Opposition politicians accused her in the debate of wrecking Ukraine's economy, but the vote tally showed that Yanukovich had received virtually no backing from other parties.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Prime minister yulia tymoshenko meets hungarian president laszlo solyom</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-07-09T23:41:58-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/501.html#unique-entry-id-558</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/501.html#unique-entry-id-558</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Published in NRCU 


The parties dwelled on a number of issues, particularly preparation of the economic activity plan 2008-2009 between the two countries. 


Apart from this, Y.   Tymoshenko and L.   Solyom focused on the language question having agreed to facilitate in every possible way the development of minority languages.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Incumbent government manages to remove negative phenomena and reaches normal dynamics in development of economic processes</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-07-11T12:27:21-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/502.html#unique-entry-id-557</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/502.html#unique-entry-id-557</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[This is what Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko stated while reporting on the Government activities to the Verkhovna Rada.   "It would be too ambitious to put a task of removing all deficiencies over 5-6 months.   But we have already a certain dynamics", the Premier said.


Yulia Tymoshenko denied reproaches to the Government with regard to high inflation rates, having accused predecessors in creating a basis for the inflation processes.   According to Yulia Tymoshenko, over six months the Government managed to achieve the GDP growth of 6.4 percent with the advanced growth of production in technological spheres, including in the machine building sphere.  The Prime Minister noted a net growth of direct foreign investments from UAH 880 million to UAH 4 billion, or its fourfold growth, which in her opinion testifies to the world's confidence in the Ukrainian economy.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Russia-ukraine discuss long-term gas deal</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-07-08T09:28:05-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/500.html#unique-entry-id-556</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/500.html#unique-entry-id-556</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[The $400 price tag is a daunting prospect and the government has made it clear that any major rise would be accompanied by a reciprocal hike in the transit fees Gazprom pays for transporting its gas to Europe through Ukraine&rsquo;s pipeline network.   Currently, a quarter of the EU&rsquo;s natural gas imports are from Gazprom with about 80 percent transiting through Ukraine&rsquo;s pipeline network. ...  Last week figures revealed, that in the first six months of the year, Ukraine transported 65.3 billion cubic metres of natural gas to Europe, up 23 percent year-on-year.


...She did not deny the likelihood that Ukraine would eventually pay western market rates for its natural gas imports, but suggested that it meet &ldquo;the European level within the next three-four years.&rdquo;   Mr Prodan said, &ldquo;Our goal is to negotiate a gradual change in the gas price which will be to the benefit of both parties.&rdquo;


In return, Mr Putin said that it was too early to specify a figure as the final cost and transport tariff would be the subject of discussions over the next few months.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Ukraine pushes polish and czechs to ratify eu treaty</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-07-07T11:46:49-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/499.html#unique-entry-id-555</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/499.html#unique-entry-id-555</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[A thorny issue for Ukraine is whether or not they will be granted a &ldquo;membership perspective&rdquo; in the new agreement.   The official line is that no watered down versions of membership will do, so while welcoming the recent Polish-Swedish idea for an &lsquo;eastern partnership&rsquo; Nemyria says that it should not be used as a substitute for the real thing.


He says Ukraine will stay firm on this position in the upcoming summit with the EU in September. ...  We have to underline a very important position that any organisational devices should not be confused with substantive solutions.&rdquo;


And commenting on the start of talks on a new EU-Russia agreement, he said, &ldquo;We can&rsquo;t but support this process because a European solution works in Ukraine and shall work in Russia.


...Nemyria was in Brussels for a World Bank conference, but also met with EU trade chief Peter Mandelson, foreign policy head Javier Solana and external relations commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Ukrainian premier hopes to sign gas deal with russia by 15 september</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-07-07T10:24:44-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/498.html#unique-entry-id-554</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/498.html#unique-entry-id-554</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Ukrainian Prime Minister Yuliya Tymoshenko has said she expects a gas contract with Russia to be signed by 15 September, but refused to predict the gas price for next year.   She was speaking in a pre- recorded interview shown by Ukraine's most popular Inter TV channel on 6 July.


"I think that talks with Vladimir Putin on gas supplies were successful and I think that we will turn them into a contract form by 15 September," she said and noted once again that the gas price will be increased gradually for several years until it reaches the European level.


However, Tymoshenko refused to reveal any details about the gas talks: "Negotiations are under way and I would not like to ruin them with preliminary statements.   "I don't have the right to talk about my suppositions.   I can only tell you the contract price when the document will be signed," Tymoshenko said.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>The cabinet approves state budget on saturday</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-07-04T10:16:37-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/497.html#unique-entry-id-553</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/497.html#unique-entry-id-553</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[The Government of Ukraine plans to approve the draft law about the amendments to the budget 2008 at the meeting on Saturday, said Prime Minister of Ukraine Yulia Tymoshenko at the press-conference in Mykolaiv on Friday.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Ukrainian and russian governments are reliable partners and open for further cooperation&#x2c; yulia tymoshenko says</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-07-01T12:32:14-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/496.html#unique-entry-id-552</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/496.html#unique-entry-id-552</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[This was stated by the Ukrainian Premier in Moscow at a joint news conference with Russian Premier Vladimir Putin.   "A Ukraine-Russia dialogue is developing, we are successful, we are predictable, we are reliable as partners and open for further cooperation,she noted.


The Prime Minister also said the dialogue she had with her Russian counterpart was substantial and constructive.  &nbsp;For his part, Vladimir Putin also noted that Ukraine-Russia relations have great prospects.   He stressed that at the stage a Ukraine-Russia partnership is developing successfully in general. ...  We are able to solve all questions kindly and openly for the benefit of the two parties, he said.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Ukraine sees long-term gas deal with russia by nov</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-07-01T12:25:17-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/495.html#unique-entry-id-551</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/495.html#unique-entry-id-551</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Ukraine's energy minister said on Tuesday that a long-term gas supply deal with Russia could be signed by November, which may help avoid periodic last minute talks that have sometimes led to brief supply cuts.


Ex-Soviet Ukraine currently pays $179.5 per 1,000 of cubic metres of gas, still well below market levels despite several years of steep hikes, and hopes that the transition to a price paid by other European countries will be gradual.


"In our action plan with our colleagues in the Russian energy ministry, we foresee that we would sign long-term contracts sometime in October-November," Energy Minister Yuri Prodan told a news conference.


...Ukraine's state energy firm Naftogaz has previously said it would want from Russia's gas monopoly Gazprom a 15-year contract that would stipulate exact price rises for the next five years.


...Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko was in Moscow on Saturday and met her Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, who said while Moscow wants to raise gas prices gradually to market levels, the Central Asian plans to hike prices could prevent that.


Tymoshenko, cited by Interfax-Ukraine news agency on Sunday, said she thought Kiev would pay market prices only in three or four years, and that a doubling of the price next year, as Gazprom suggested, was "absolutely impossible" for Ukraine.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Warm reception in brussels</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-06-24T09:17:37-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/494.html#unique-entry-id-550</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/494.html#unique-entry-id-550</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[&ldquo;We must be realistic, EU membership is a long-term goal for us,&rdquo; said Mr Nemyria, &ldquo;first we must align our institutions, structures and regulations with European norms and this will take time. 

...Although Ukraine hopes one day to become a full-member of the EU, much will depend on the pace of its reform programme and the willingness of member states to expand the boundaries of the 27-member state bloc. 

...One of the main reasons for the Brussels visit was for Ms Tymoshenko to attend a meeting of the leaders of the European People&rsquo;s Party (EPP). 

...Ms Tymoshenko said that she saw a significant role for Ukraine to play in helping to ease the international food crisis; noting that this year&rsquo;s expected bumper grain harvest would enable Ukraine to increase exports to European countries.


...&ldquo;President Yushchenko's policy of attacking the orange coalition and Tymoshenko-government is having an impact internationally,&rdquo; commented Dr Taras Kuzio, Research Associate at the Institute for European, Russian and Eurasian Studies, George Washington University and editor of Ukraine Analyst.   &ldquo;Yushchenko is fast losing support in Brussels, London and Washington for the very same reasons he is losing support among Ukrainians; namely, in response to his duplicity in claiming to support "his government" while doing everything in his power to undermine it,&rdquo; he said.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Yushchenko returns to kuchma era tactics against his opponents</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-06-23T13:50:17-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/493.html#unique-entry-id-549</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/493.html#unique-entry-id-549</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[As Ambassador Smith notes, Western governments have supported the governments attempts at removing corrupt intermediaries from the Russian-Ukrainian gas relationship: &ldquo;Starting with her efforts to negotiate directly with Moscow on gas prices and remove rent-seeking middlemen such as RosUkrEnergo, she has attempted to provide transparency to the energy dealings of her country, a policy that would significantly benefit the rest of Europe&rdquo;.


On the controversial  2007 Vanco contract supported by President Yushchenko but the government has described as a second RosUkrEnergo and seeks to cancel, &nbsp; Ambassador Smith said, &ldquo;Indeed, although her actions in the Vanco affair are controversial, they appear to me to be another example of her insistence that the natural resources of Ukraine be exploited in the most transparent manner possible.  &nbsp; Despite the political turmoil around the affair, the Prime Minister&rsquo;s policies may be the most workable way of resolving the situation so that Vanco can be a serious energy investor in Ukraine and not a tool of less transparent companies.&rdquo;


Ambassador Smith also believes that the Tymoshenko government had consistently  pursued the correct policies with regard to the state-run Naftogaz Ukrayiny company: &ldquo;As to the state-run companies, one need only look at the present government&rsquo;s backing of Naftogaz, which was virtually bankrupt and in debt to foreign lenders when it took office &ndash; this was debt acquired from previous Ukrainian governments who may have looted the company for private gain.

...The Tymoshenko government is not only faced with the use of energy pressure from Russia but from within Ukraine &ndash; in a repeat of policies used eight years ago &ndash; launched by the President through the NRBO and Marchuk.


The return to Kuchma era tactics and return of Marchuk to politics begs the question of how far is President Yushchenko willing to go to remove Tymoshenko whom he sees as his main obstacle to be re-elected for a second term. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Where now?</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-06-23T11:26:41-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/492.html#unique-entry-id-548</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/492.html#unique-entry-id-548</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[The membership of the President&rsquo;s NU-NS bloc was never consulted over any grand coalition deal in May of last year, nor following the pre-term elections. 

...NU-NS deputies are angry with the President&rsquo;s disloyalty and disrespect, while many have personal grudges with the Party of Regions (such as deputy NU-NS faction leader Borys Tarasiuk who was illegally removed as Foreign Minister by the Yanukovych government) while the Self Defence wing of NU-NS (which has 20 out of 72 deputies) are furious at trumped up charges launched against its leaders Yuriy Lutsenko and Davyd Zhvannia.


...Ukraine&rsquo;s constitution only permits factions, not individuals, to join coalitions and therefore any split of NU-NS resulting one wing siding with the Party of Regions and another moving into opposition with BYUT would be illegal. 

...The President is not only hampered by a lack of a strong political base but also by the fact he would be dealing with two stronger political forces after pre-term elections: coalition partner Party of Regions and opposition BYUT. 

...Incredibly, United Centre is pinning its hopes on merging with the NDP, the party that won only 5% in the 1998 elections despite being supported by administrative resources, and which after the Orange Revolution failed to enter the 2006 or 2007 parliaments. 

...Not only does this bring back bad memories of Kuchma&rsquo;s similar attempts to stay on as President but it also shows total cynicism and hypocrisy in the presidential secretariat&rsquo;s criticism of BYUT &lsquo;s support for constitutional reforms towards a parliamentary system as it appears that the President may have beaten BYUT to it!]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Eurocommission gives a compliment to tymoshenko</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-06-19T17:58:47-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/491.html#unique-entry-id-544</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/491.html#unique-entry-id-544</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Vice President of European Commission also promised that the European Union will provide Ukraine with support in the course of signing a new agreement: &ldquo;We will deepen our cooperation for the strengthening of European prospects in Ukraine.&rdquo;


In turn, Yulia Tymoshenko said that during the meeting with G&uuml;nter Verheugen they have considered all the elements of possible cooperation between Ukraine and EU.


According to Yulia Tymoshenko Ukraine and EU have agreed to embark on work with regard to joining Ukraine to the European Charter for small enterprises.   She said they achieved understanding concerning the visit of G&uuml;nter Verheugen to Ukraine to start this process.


Yulia Tymoshenko considers small enterprises in Ukraine would contribute to the development of middle class - base for the dynamic economic development of the country.   &ldquo;We feel the support on this way and I am convinced we will be able to build an effective cooperation in this direction,&rdquo; said the Head of Ukrainian Government.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Solana&#x2c; tymoshenko meet in brussels</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-06-19T09:48:39-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/490.html#unique-entry-id-543</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/490.html#unique-entry-id-543</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[In her turn Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko thanked Javier Solana for understanding of internal problems in Ukraine and for the support on the way to the democracy.


According to the Head of Ukrainian Government on the present stage cooperation between Ukraine and the European Union proves successful.   At the same time she noted that today Ukraine has to demonstrate unity of democratic forces, notably, to achieve understanding between all the branches of power.   &ldquo;As Prime Minister I will secure unity of democratic forces and stability in Ukrainian politics,&rdquo; Yulia Tymoshenko emphasized.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Yulia tymoshenko: ukraine&#x2019;s entry into nato will be decided solely by the people</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-06-17T10:20:30-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/489.html#unique-entry-id-542</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/489.html#unique-entry-id-542</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[The Prime Minister also noted that the Law of Ukraine &ldquo;On Principles of National Security,&rdquo; which was approved by the Party of Regions faction, envisages Ukraine&rsquo;s full-fledged participation in European and regional collective security systems, membership in the European Union and NATO.


The Head of Government also believes that the question of Ukraine in NATO is becoming extremely politicized, especially during election campaigns.   Tymoshenko gave NATO Secretary General Jaap De Hoop Scheffer the book Strategy for Ukraine&rsquo;s Economic and Social Development in 2004-2015, which was edited by Viktor Yanukovych when he was Prime Minister.   &ldquo;In the book it states that Ukraine is to become a member of NATO by 2008,&rdquo; highlighted Tymoshenko.


According to Tymoshenko, this book is a symbol of that fact that all politicians in Ukraine support entry into NATO while they are in power.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Nato trying to gauge readiness of ukraine to join</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-06-17T10:14:24-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/488.html#unique-entry-id-541</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/488.html#unique-entry-id-541</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[President Dmitri Medvedev of Russia made it clear during talks two weeks ago with Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany that he objected to Ukraine and Georgia joining the alliance. 

...According to polls conducted recently by the independent Democratic Initiatives Foundation in Kiev, 59 percent of Ukrainians would vote against joining NATO, up from 53 percent last December, while 22 percent would vote in favor of it, down from 32 percent.


Last month, the pro-Russian Communist Party of Ukraine announced that it had collected 1 million signatures from residents in the Crimea, demanding that the Russian Black Sea Fleet be stationed there permanently.


Under an agreement between Ukraine and Russia, the fleet - a potent symbol of Russian presence in Crimea and the biggest employer there - is to withdraw by May 2017.


If the petition gains momentum, it could create a conflict between Russia and Ukraine and convince some NATO countries that offering a Membership Action Plan to Ukraine would be risky. 

...Russia is using its energy reserves as a political instrument, just as it did in 2006, one year after the electoral victory of the pro-Western president of Ukraine, Viktor Yushchenko.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>S&#x26;P rating questioned</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-06-17T09:45:35-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/487.html#unique-entry-id-540</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/487.html#unique-entry-id-540</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[An analyst close to the situation, based in the City of London, was even more perplexed by S&P&rsquo;s rating. 

...Egypt has a public sector debt/GDP ratio of over 90 percent, compared to just 15 percent for Ukraine.   Meanwhile, S&P now rates Ukraine six notches behind Russia (BBB+) and four notches behind Kazakhstan (BBB-).   Kazakhstan is still struggling to get over a banking crisis which has engulfed the country over the past year; its ratio of external debt/GDP stands at around 90 percent, versus just 60 percent for Ukraine. 

...Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko stressed that the S&P rating was only one agency&rsquo;s opinion and that other analysts had different viewpoints.   &ldquo;Ukraine has quadrupled volumes of foreign investments from January to June this year as compared with the same period last year. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Turchynov held session of government committee on economic policy</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-06-13T10:33:52-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/486.html#unique-entry-id-539</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/486.html#unique-entry-id-539</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[A&nbsp;session of the Government Committee on economic policy chaired by First Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine Oleksandr Turchynov was held on Thursday, according to the government&rsquo;s press-office.


The session has approved draft resolutions of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine submitted for consideration of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy of Ukraine: on amendments to the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine on giving long-term credits to individual dwelling builders in a village and on interdepartmental coordinating commission on issues concerning support of individual dwelling building in a village. 

...On the Ukrainian Economic Ministry&rsquo;s initiative the draft resolution on liquidation of the Commission for assistance to prejudicial regulation of disputes between investors and government authorities or local government authorities has been considered. 

...The draft resolution on approval of the Agreement between the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and the Republic of Macedonia on customs cooperation has been endorsed.


The State Property Fund of Ukraine proposed for consideration of the Government Committee the draft resolution on amendments to the estimation Procedure of rent objects.   This procedure follows from independent calculation of the cost of state property rent and shall increase revenues from these operations.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Eurointegration policy complies with interests both of ukraine and its eastern neighbors&#x2c; hryhoriy nemyria states</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-06-12T09:34:47-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/484.html#unique-entry-id-538</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/484.html#unique-entry-id-538</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Published in NRCU


Integration policy, development of relations and openness with the European Union complies with interests of both Ukraine and its eastern neighbors, including the Russian Federation, Vice Prime Minister Hryhoriy Nemyria told journalists after a meeting with Vice Prime Minister for European Affairs of the Czech Republic Alexandr Vondra.


At the same time, he emphasized that Ukraine is attentive to an approach of the Russian Federation to the issues of Kyiv's Eurointegration.   "At the same time we have a full authority for our own view on the national security", H.   Nemyria stated.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Government approved action plan on adaptation of ukrainian legislation to wto</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-06-12T09:38:05-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/485.html#unique-entry-id-537</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/485.html#unique-entry-id-537</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has approved an Action Plan on adaptation of the Ukrainian legislation to the WTO requirements, according to the government&rsquo;s press-office.   Prime Minister of Ukraine Yulia Tymoshenko disclosed this at a press conference summing up the Government sitting.


&ldquo;After Ukraine&rsquo;s accession to the World Trade Organization all economic spheres need adaptation to the WTO,&rdquo; the Prime Minister of Ukraine noted.   According to her, the action plan sets out the list of problems which can be faced by every sphere of Ukraine from agriculture to machine-building.


Moreover, Yulia Tymoshenko told that the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine draws special attention to adaptation of Ukrainian legislation to the European Union laws. ...  &ldquo;If our country can adapt rules of living and its legislation to the norms of the European Union then we can say that it is ready for Eurointegration,&rdquo; the Prime Minister of Ukraine stressed.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Defectors put pressure on coalition</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-06-10T09:04:59-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/483.html#unique-entry-id-536</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/483.html#unique-entry-id-536</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[BYuT lawmaker Valeriy Pysarenko, argues that the departure of the two lawmakers did not affect the ruling coalition as parliament by law stipulates the replacement of a lawmaker resigning from a ruling coalition by a party list member.


...Hryhoriy Nemyria, Deputy Prime Minister for European integration, who was attending a meeting of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank in Amsterdam, commented, &ldquo;The timing of this is very curious given that it coincides with parliament&rsquo;s move to replace the head of the State Property Fund. 

...Last week the majority coalition submitted a motion to dismiss State Property Fund Chairwoman Valentyna Semeniuk, who has doggedly blocked the government&rsquo;s privatisation plans. ...  Her imminent dismissal, it is believed, prompted Mr Baloha to pull the trigger in an attempt to scupper the coalition.


Mr Nemyria did not believe the defections would cause the break-up of the democratic coalition or result in the dismissal of the government.   This view is shared by most politicians who, according to a Reuters report, &ldquo;saw little reason for alarm.&rdquo;
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Vice prime minister of ukraine hryhoriy nemyrya met with un deputy secretary general ad melkert</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-06-09T10:07:36-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/482.html#unique-entry-id-535</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/482.html#unique-entry-id-535</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[The interlocutors discussed recommendations of the UNDP report &ldquo;Human Development and Ukraine&rsquo;s European Choice&rdquo;.


Hryhoriy Nemyrya has invited Ad Melkert to visit Ukraine.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Parliament closes major 2008 budget gap</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-06-04T10:01:00-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/481.html#unique-entry-id-534</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/481.html#unique-entry-id-534</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[But more importantly, the vote allows averting drastic spending cuts in the 2008 budget that would have been inevitable if Parliament had failed to approve the bill on Tuesday.


...The central budget has been lagging behind in raising cash from selling state assets this year due to a dispute over the management of the State Property Fund between Yushchenko and Tymoshenko.


The failure to collect almost 9 billion hryvnias from selling state assets has been jeopardizing the government&rsquo;s social spending program, Volodymyr Matviychuk, deputy finance minister, said Tuesday.


But Tymoshenko, encouraged by the approval of the bill, said the government will probably be able to cover the privatization revenue gap by robust overall tax revenue collection this year.


&ldquo;I can say that although the State Property Fund has failed to raise even a penny, due to our joint work we are able to cover the revenue gap,&rdquo; Tymoshenko said.


...The government, which forecast to raise 80.9 billion hryvnias in overall revenue in January through May, had in fact raised 90.4 billion hryvnias in the period, Matviychuk said. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Tymoshenko stands firm</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-06-04T09:35:02-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/480.html#unique-entry-id-533</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/480.html#unique-entry-id-533</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[&ldquo;This amounted to more than eight per day, or one every working hour,&rdquo; said Hryhoriy Nemyria, Deputy Prime Minister, &ldquo;it was an effort to stifle the premier&rsquo;s office with bureaucracy and far exceeded the modest demands he made on the Yanukovych-government.&rdquo;


...&ldquo;The president is playing a dangerous game,&rdquo; speculated a financial analyst based in Kyiv, &ldquo;the more this soap opera plays out in public, the more disillusioned the electorate is becoming with the Orange team. 

...The president has also turned on those within his Our Ukraine &ndash; People&rsquo;s Self- Defence bloc who are sympathetic to the prime minister.   In a style more reminiscent of the Soviet-era, the Ukrainian Prosecutor General&rsquo;s Office has launched criminal cases against Yuriy Lutsenko, Minister of the Interior and leader of the People&rsquo;s Self-Defence bloc, and Davyd Zhvania, the bloc&rsquo;s financial backer. 

...&ldquo;Framing up criminal cases cannot be accepted as a political tool, no matter how the secretariat may dislike what Lutsenko is saying about Baloha or Yushchenko,&rdquo; said Our Ukraine lawmaker, Taras Stetskiv.


...&ldquo;Today there are two more governments above the Cabinet of Ministers, one of them is the National Security Defence Council and the other is the Presidential Secretariat,&rdquo; she said Ms Tymoshenko ruled out BYuT joining a grand-coalition with the Party of Regions.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Vice pm nemyria met with chief executive of new york stock exchange</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-05-30T09:00:35-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/479.html#unique-entry-id-532</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/479.html#unique-entry-id-532</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Hryhoriy Nemyria noted the importance of the New York Stock Exchange experience in the context of preparation for privatization of big objects of the state ownership and their further transformation into successful stock companies.


The Vice Prime Minister highlighted that Ukraine is at the new stage of development and this process needs support.   He noted: &ldquo;The New York Stock Exchange entry opens significant opportunities for attracting stable foreign capital to the Ukrainian economy&rdquo;.


Hryhoriy Nemyria confirmed readiness of the Government to promote meetings between the representatives of the New York Stock Exchange and Ukrainian business.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Signing of agreement on free trade area with european union is priority for ukrainian government</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-05-29T13:47:32-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/478.html#unique-entry-id-531</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/478.html#unique-entry-id-531</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Published in NRCU


Vice Premier for European and International Integration Hryhoriy Nemyria told this journalists today.


Commenting on a statement made by President Viktor Yushchenko concerning the creation of free trade areas with the United States and Canada, he said that such documents could be signed only if they do not contradict to the agreement on a free trade area with the EU.   "The same can be said of free trade areas with other countries," Nemyria noted.   The Vice Premier also informed that the third round of talks with the European Union, including on a free trade agreement, would take place in Kyiv in July this year.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Dpm nemyria defends government&#x2019;s policy in eurodebates</title><dc:creator>iBYuT.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2008-05-29T10:48:15-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/477.html#unique-entry-id-530</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.ibyut.com/index_files/477.html#unique-entry-id-530</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Answering the critical statements from opponents concerning the Government&rsquo;s elaboration and introduction of the policy of economic and social reforms Hryhoriy Nemyria noted: &ldquo;I would like to use facts but not populist statements.   The Government has fulfilled and keeps its election promises.   Due to the successful measures of the Government of Ukraine we have completed a long process of Ukraine&rsquo;s accession to the WTO that in its turn enabled us on 18 February 2008 to launch official negotiations with the European Union on the creation of a free trade area and hold two rounds of negotiations.   Another confirmation &ndash; rep