President not to veto law banning gambling business

Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko jointly with representatives of gambling business this week plans to draw up and submit to the parliament proposals on a law adopted by the parliament recently that temporarily bans the gambling business, Yushchenko said to representatives of gambling business demonstrating near Ukrainian House in Kyiv on Monday, Kyiv Post reported.

The head of state said that the adopted law is populist.

"This was taken into account by the premier and MPs," he said.

Yushchenko said that he can veto the law, although this would not change the situation.

"If I veto [the law], the veto would be overridden next day," he said, adding that the imposing of a moratorium is a wrong step.

"I have four days to decide [on this]," he said.

Yushchenko proposed that the protestors take part in drawing up proposals on the law.

An Interfax-Ukraine correspondent reported that several hundreds of gambling business representatives gathered near Ukrainian House protesting against the adoption of the law banning gambling business.

Around 1,500 gambling business representatives also gathered at Bankova Street in Kyiv not far from the Presidential Secretariat.

Speaking to the protestors, the vice president of the Ukrainian association of gambling operators, Hryhoriy Tripulsky, said that people from various regions came to take part in the strike.

"Unfortunately, the parliament, in one day, left us without work," he said, adding that this is the third rally with a request to veto the law.

"We want to believe that the president would hear us. I hope that we gather here for the last time, and the law will be vetoed," he said.

As reported, on May 15, the Ukrainian parliament adopted a law banning the operation of gambling businesses and participation in gaming.

The law comes into effect from the moment it is published and is in effect until a special law foreseeing the right to run gambling business in specially created zones is approved.