Yanukovych: Local election must be held in 2010

President Viktor Yanukovych believes that elections to local councils must be held in Ukraine this year, he said in an iterview in Sumy after meeting of the Regional Committee for Economic Reforms.

"We must obey legislation and the Constitution of Ukraine. The elections must be held in 2010. This is my stance and I have already declared it," he said, expressing expectancy that 50% of local councils would be elected by the majority principle i.e. by the mixed system.

When asked whether the date of the elections could be 31^st of October, the President said: "This is certainly possible. At all times, holding elections before the beginning of winter, when harvest is collected, was right.”