Yanukovych: Government to preserve the harvest and help villagers

The plan on regulating the political crisis signed by the President of Ukraine, Prime Minister and Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada is in force. But consideration of necessary issues in the Parliament requires more time than it was envisaged by this plan. Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych stated in his speech at the Government sitting, "Cabinet press office" informed.

“As regards the negotiating process it is going on within the agreements which have been achieved by the common statement. We face some problems but we have agreed that we’ll find an answer to these questions – it is desirable a positive one. If one or another signatory side violates the agreements of the common statement that side will bear responsibility to the whole country. We, I mean the coalition, will spare no effort to fulfil our assumed obligations,” the Prime Minister said.

According to the Head of Government, the top priority task today for the Government is agriculture because the weather conditions are so complicated now that if we do not undertake proper measures the country runs risks to lose grain.

Therefore, the first issue submitted for the Government’s consideration includes budget amendments which provide for all measures aimed to preserve the harvest and help villagers.

“If there is no grain we’ll have it at a higher price – and already by the end of the year. It cannot be allowed,” Viktor Yanukovych said.

The second priority task the Prime Minister called increase in wages and pensions which had been practically resolved. But a final decision can’t be made without providing relevant procedure, in other words, adopting budget amendments, passing this budget in the Parliament etc.

The third place, according to the PM, takes a political issue –necessity to consider laws ensuring conduction of pre-term elections. We are under such conditions when we must solve these issues and overcome the crisis,” Viktor Yanukovych stressed.

As the Prime Minister noted, all the issues submitted today for the Government’s consideration are extremely important for Ukraine. Besides, it also concerns the laws necessary for Ukraine’s accedence to the WTO. In this connection, the Head of Government commissioned First Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine Mykola Azarov and Minister of Economy of Ukraine Anatoliy Kinakh to make immediately an examination of these bills and to do their best for bills consideration as the agenda envisages, that is by the governmental committees and then – the committees of the Verkhovna Rada.

“If we fail to submit them for the Parliament’s consideration we’ll insist on continuing the work of the Parliament for one more day. We have no other way. I will personally insist during the meeting with the President, Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada and faction leaders on adopting all economic laws which we’ll consider today,” Viktor Yanukovych stated.

Moreover, according to the Head of Government, the Cabinet of Ministers shall focus its attention now on drafting a series of social laws and work at drafting 2008 State Budget which should be drafted already in September so that new Parliament could pass it in time.