News as of October 5th - 6th 2006

[stepanstas]

I did not notice any news worth a whole post yesterday, but will mention some now.

Our Ukraine officially declares its move to opposition

The Our Ukraine faction has officially declared about its move to opposition, the statement of the faction says.
⌠Being a consistent political force, we declare about opposition to the ruling government. We call ministers from Our Ukraine to resign on the nearest session of the Cabinet of Ministers,■ the statement says.

It is also noted in the statement that the negotiation process on formation of a broad coalition has been ruined ⌠as a result of deliberate destructive actions of Party of Regions and its political satellite √ communists.■

⌠Being sincere supporters of a doctrine of national unity, Our Ukraine signed the Memorandum on formation of the coalition of national unity with Party of Regions and Socialist Party of Ukraine,■ the statement reads.

⌠During the negotiation process we were standing for principles of the National Unity Pact and insisting on including all its items into the text of the coalition agreement. We still stand up for these positions,■ the statement notes.

Ukraine to resume supplies of meat to Russia under new rules

MOSCOW, October 5 (Itar-Tass) - Supplies of meat and dairy products from Ukraine to Russia will resume in the nearest future under new rules, after Russia lifts the restrictions which were introduced on January 20, head of Russia's Federal Service for Veterinary and Phitosanitary Inspection /Rosselkhoznadzor/ Sergei Dankvert told Itar-Tass.

"The memorandum which is presently in the works contains a number of new conditions under which Ukraine is allowed to export meat and dairy products,"Dankvert said.

Dankvert did not specify the date of signing the memorandum, but noted that "we have no intention to delay it."

"The document envisions a phased resumption f trade, foremost in beef." "In order to prevent re-exports of meat or dairy products from Ukraine, it will be delivered in half- and quarter carcasses, not in blocks, as was earlier permitted," Dankvert explained.

"Beef can be supplied by motor transport or rail only through the Bryansk region. In case Ukraine complies will all the Russian veterinary requirements, the number of checkpoints will increase," the Rosselkhoznadzor director said.

"The Ukrainians, prior to sending every new batch of meat, must confirm its location in prior notification to the Bryansk branch of Rosselkhoznadzor," he went on to say.

In addition, the memorandum will restore the transit of EU meat through Ukraine, including from Austria and Hungary, "which were not detected engaging in re-exports."

He said "the fragmentation of transit batches, replacement of the means of transportation and storage of the above products in the territory of Ukraine is categorically prohibited," Dankvert said.

Russia slapped a ban on the imports of Ukrainian meat and dairy products on January 20, citing numerous violations of the Russian veterinary legislation.

Ukraine, one of the main suppliers of cheese to the Russian market, annually exported up to 80,000 tonnes of cheese and 50,000 to 60,000 tonnes of butter.

"On the whole, the aggregate volume of exports of dairy products from Ukraine totaled 640 million dollars last year; with Russia accounting for 60 percent of the exports," chairman of the board of Ukraine▓s union of dairy farms Vadim Chagarovksy said earlier.

Ukraine is up to its ears in gas debts

For today Ukraine has worst-case conditions of supply of natural gas, as Party of Regions▓ member Yuri Myroshnychenko declared on the session of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.
⌠Earlier we had supplies at 50 dollars per a thousand cu m, now we pay $95,■ he said.

According to the deputy, Naftogaz Ukrainy had got 47.6 milliard UAH of net profit for 2005, but income made only 2.3 mln UAH. ⌠In fact, a lot of means were simply concealed,■ Myroshnychenko underlined.

Additionally, he informed deputies that for the first half of 2006 Ukraine has losses in the amount of 600 mln UAH. ⌠Ukraine also has enormous bills payable for natural gas, which make 15 milliard 600 mln UAH,■ he noted.

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