President outlines strategic tasks for government and parliament for 2008

President Victor Yushchenko held a weekly meeting today with Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko and Verkhovna Rada Speaker Arseniy Yatsenyuk. According to the President`s press-office, main aim of this meeting was to outline strategic tasks for government and parliament for 2008.

Addressing Speaker President  suggested again that Verkhovna Rada continues working without winter recess. V. Yushchenko also reminded of urgent to his mind draft laws which he had forwarded to Verkhovna Rada. Besides President informed that he is to forward to parliament a draft law on modification of tender policy.

In addition V. Yushchenko expressed the thought that it would be reasonable for Verkhovna Rada to reinspect legislative acts which were adopted by parliament during the period of its illegitimacy.

For the government President sees key task in introducing balanced and coordinated amendments to 2008 budget.

Regarding that V. Yushchenko pointed to shortage of Ukrainian Armed Forces financing in current variant of the budget and emphasized that such programs as transition to voluntary contract army, increasing army combat readiness and ammunition utilization must be backed up by proper financing.

President also asked Prime Minister to pay separate attention to proper financing of preparation to Euro-2012. To V. Yushchenko one of the aspects of preparation to the championship is building road infrastructure. According to state program of highway infrastructure development for 2005-2010 government should provide funds for building detour, circuit and connective highways in cities which are to host Euro-2012.

Among other assignments President put before government a task of preparing new concept of affordable accommodation building.

V. Yushchenko also outlined some tasks which require common efforts of Cabinet of Ministers, Verkhovna Rada and Presidential Secretariat. Among them is Ukraine’s joining World Trade Organization. President expressed assurance that all measures should be taken for Ukraine to join WTO in February 2008.

Summarizing tasks before chief state authorities for 2008 President said that to his mind there is a firm possibility of joint work between all branches of power and that “we shall be able to act effectively, system-defined as a single team and without surplus populism”.