NEWSBRIEFS (08/27/00)

NEWSBRIEFS

Ukraine wants cash for transit of gas

KYIV - Ukraine's Prime Minister Viktor Yuschenko told journalists on August 21 that Ukraine wants Russia to pay in cash for the transit of Russian gas through Ukrainian territory, Interfax reported. Mr. Yuschenko added that this is Kyiv's official position in the current talks with Moscow on the regulation of issues related to gas transit and supplies. So far Gazprom has been paying for the transit of gas through Ukraine with gas deliveries. Mr. Yuschenko also said the government will never agree to give Russia ownership rights to Ukraine's gas transport system in payment of Ukraine's gas debts. Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko on August 21 repeated a previous announcement that Kyiv is considering the construction of a gas pipeline from Turkmenistan to Ukraine by way of the Black Sea. (RFE/RL Newsline)

PM denies Cabinet authorized gas theft

KYIV - Prime Minister Viktor Yuschenko said on August 16 that his Cabinet made no decision to allow the siphoning off of Russian gas transiting Ukrainian territory. Mr. Yuschenko was commenting on reports in some Russian media saying that he had authorized the theft of Russian gas and on a statement by Dmitrii Rogozin, head of the Russian Duma Committee for International Affairs. Mr. Rogozin said on August 15 that Russia might sue Ukraine in an international court for the continued theft of Russian transit gas, according to ITAR-TASS. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Ukrainian energy sector officials arrested

KYIV - Deputy Prosecutor-General Mykola Obikhod said on August 21 that the authorities have arrested Valeriy Falkovych, deputy head of Ukraine's Unified Energy Systems, and Oleksandr Tymoshenko, a member of the Unified Energy Systems board of directors, Interfax reported. Messrs. Falkovych and Tymoshenko are accused of embezzling $800,000 in scrap metal exports to Asian countries. In addition, Mr. Falkovych is accused of misappropriating some 3 billion hrv ($550 million) by forging documents to illegally bring Russian gas into Ukraine and by selling it to a British company. Mr. Tymoshenko is the husband of Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, who previously headed Ukraine's Unified Energy Systems. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Yulia Tymoshenko vows to fight

KYIV - Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko told Interfax on August 21 that her husband's arrest is an act of "political revenge" against her for seeking to curb shady operations and corruption in Ukraine's fuel and energy sector. Ms. Tymoshenko said the charges against her husband are groundless, adding that all losses in the scrap metal export case, in which her husband is alleged to have embezzled funds, were fully repaid in 1997. She told journalists on August 22 that a special task force searched the offices of Unified Energy Systems on August 21 and "simply tormented the employees" by tying their hands and forcing them to lie down. She said the action resembled the politically repressive measures of the USSR in the 1930s. She added that she, too, may be arrested in connection with her husband's case. Ms. Tymoshenko headed the Unified Energy Systems from 1995-1997. "I will defend myself with all possible means that are envisaged in the legislation in force," she noted. She added that the rest of her family is "secure" and "out of the reach" of those whom she suspects of taking revenge against her. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Ex-PM criticizes Cabinet policies

KYIV - Former Prime Minister Valerii Pustovoitenko has criticized the Cabinet of Viktor Yuschenko for its agricultural and energy policies as well as for poor cooperation with the IMF, Interfax reported on August 16. Mr. Pustovoitenko said the recently announced government program to boost grain production in 2001 is aimed at diverting public attention from the poor harvest this year. According to Mr. Pustovoitenko, this year's grain output will be much lower than last year's. He also slammed Prime Minister Yuschenko for not supporting the coal industry and for proposing to hand over part of the country's pipeline system to Russia as repayment for gas debts. Mr. Pustovoitenko noted that the current government "has totally wrecked" Ukraine's cooperation with international financial institutions, particularly the IMF. "There were hopes that following Viktor Yuschenko's appointment [as prime minister] we would easily obtain IMF credits, but [the IMF] has nagged about irregularities that took place earlier," Mr. Pustovoitenko said. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Ukraine to boost grain output

KYIV - Prime Minister Viktor Yuschenko said on August 15 that "within seven to 10 days" the government will adopt a program to stimulate next year's grain yield, Interfax reported. According to Mr. Yuschenko, the program will provide for the gathering of 35 million to 40 million tons of grain. "This is [an ambitious objective] but absolutely realistic, according to conclusions and data from the Ministry for Agrarian Policy," he said. This year's grain crop in Ukraine is expected to total some 25 million tons. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Ukraine cuts debt to IMF

KYIV - During the first half of 2000 Ukraine reduced its debt to the International Monetary Fund by $415.6 million to $2.257 billion, Interfax reported on August 15, quoting IMF data. Taking into account interest payments, Ukraine paid $476.8 million to the IMF from January to June. Ukraine is due to repay the fund $389.1 million in the second half of 2000, $605.5 million in 2001, and $301.8 million in 2002. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Bishops of the UOC-KP fight back

KYIV - In response to a recent meeting in Moscow of bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) in which the Ukrainian Orthodox Church - Kyiv Patriarchate (UOC-KP) was labeled "schismatic," the Council of Bishops of the UOC-KP said on August 22 that the ROC's branch in Ukraine, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church - Moscow Patriarchate, is not an Orthodox Church according to canon law, Interfax reported. The Kyiv Patriarchate bishops also condemned the ROC and its branch in Ukraine for the "unwillingness to jointly overcome the split in Ukraine and unite Ukrainian Orthodoxy into a single local Ukrainian Orthodox Church." (RFE/RL Newsline)

Command ship 98 percent complete

KYIV - The Defense Ministry of Ukraine owes 50 million hrv for the construction of the command ship of the Ukrainian naval forces, Ukraina. The ministry had to transfer a sum of 40 million hrv annually for the construction, but currently the financing has been halted. The vessel is 98 percent complete, and another 40 million hrv is needed to send the ship for testing. (Eastern Economist)

Chornovil receives title "Hero of Ukraine"

KYIV - Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma has signed a decree posthumously granting the title of "Hero of Ukraine" to Vyacheslav Chornovil, a famous Soviet dissident and leader of Rukh, the Popular Movement of Ukraine from 1993 until his death in 1999, Interfax reported on August 22. Mr. Chornovil, who died in a car accident last year, was also given the Order of the State for "significant personal contribution to the national revival of Ukraine, consistent promotion of the ideas of independence, [as well as] vigorous social and political activity." (RFE/RL Newsline)

President celebrates 62nd birthday

KYIV - President Leonid Kuchma celebrated his 62nd birthday on August 9. He was born in the village of Chaikino in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast in 1938. (Eastern Economist)

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