Visiting Mykolayiv and Crimea, President of Ukraine held meetings with regional authorities and focused the main attention on following issues: free economic zones, Transdniestrian conflict and army reformation.
Victor Yushchenko has told reporters in Mykolayiv oblastthe creation of free economic zones can boost the regional economy.
The President, however, addedhe no longer supported policies carried out in such zones a few years ago, “when they were used as illegal channels of bringing goods in Ukraine.”
President Yushchenko said the government should be more selective and careful when opening new zones, inspect the existing tax-exempt companies and set clearer rules and restrictions for entrepreneurs working in them.
Victor Yushchenko has said Ukraine demands the resumption of talks aimed at resolving the Trans-Dniester conflict.
“I would like to say such a visit [of Transdniestrian President Ihor Smyrnov to Ukraine] is being planned and its purposeis to hold political consultations and to evaluate the consequences of last week’s referendum in Trans-Dniester,” he told reporters in Mykolayiv oblast.
Victor Yushchenko added that Ukraine, like the European Union,had refused to recognize its results.
The Head of State said it was important to make the sides resume the negotiations. He admitted that all the attempts had failed despite the Transdniestrian president’s written promise to implement Ukraine’s settlement plan.
“Today, we must persuade the sides to resume the dialogue despite some changes in relations and certain political decisions passed in the past few months or even weeks,” he said.
Victor Yushchenko said Ukraine would conduct similar consultations with Moldovan President Vladimir Voronin. He hopes his colleague would visit our country soon.
