The President accused the Cabinet of Ministers of the worsening economic situation in the country

agenda

Yesterday Viktor Yushchenko met with representatives of the Federation of Trade Unions. The president hinted to those gathered that he was vetoing the law establishing a moratorium on the alienation of trade union property. Before this, the head of state predicted inflation and an increase in poverty in the country, and placed responsibility for future economic problems on the government.

Victor Yushchenko's meeting with trade union leaders took place in the assembly hall of the House of Trade Unions. In addition to the head of state, the head of the Federation of Trade Unions, Alexander Yurkin, and the head of the Federation of Employers, Anatoly Kinakh, were invited to the presidium. It was originally planned that most of the meeting would be occupied by speeches from trade unionists. There were quite a lot of people willing to talk about their problems - 19 people signed up to speak. However, plans changed during the event. Mr. Yushchenko, who was supposed to give a ten-minute welcoming speech, did not meet the time limit and spoke for more than half an hour at the beginning of the meeting and almost half an hour after it.

The beginning of Viktor Yushchenko's speech was positive - he spoke about the growth of salaries of Ukrainians and the improvement of social standards. And when, putting aside the prepared papers, the president began to speak on his own, the nature of his speech immediately changed. Mr. Yushchenko spoke exclusively about the negative results of the work of the executive branch - high levels of poverty, wage arrears and inflation.

Touching upon the issue of inflation, the President tried to make a forecast for 2007. “Experts calculate inflation approximately, optimistically, around 11-12 percent. And when we calculate people’s incomes, we need to add to this a two percent increase in income taxes...” the president calculated, drawing numbers in the air with his finger. The results of the head of state’s calculations turned out to be bleak: this year the Ukrainian nation will experience an increase in poverty levels. “I told the government for two months: there is no need to joke with these indicators. So that later you don’t have to explain to people why at the end of the year they live worse than they lived at the beginning of the year,” the president concluded. Thus, Viktor Yushchenko conveyed to the leaders of trade unions the main idea: the culprit of all future economic problems is the Cabinet of Ministers. It is noteworthy that in 2008, according to the president's estimates, the situation can only get worse. He confidently stated that in a year gas for Ukraine will become more expensive: “Today our gas price is $135, and it’s not over yet. It’s clear that this price will change.”

A little less than an hour was allocated for the response speeches of trade union representatives, so not everyone had time to come to the microphone. Viktor Yushchenko listened to them, writing something in a notebook, and sometimes quietly consulted with Mr. Yurkin. Most speakers criticized the law that established a moratorium on the alienation of trade union property (the Verkhovna Rada adopted the law on January 12). Moreover, not only Ukrainian, but also international trade unionists criticized the document. "These movements around trade union property are clearly aimed at weakening trade unions. This is interference in the internal affairs of trade unions!" — Russian Yuri Morozov, who represented the International Trade Union Confederation at the meeting, was indignant.

Viktor Yushchenko focused on this topic in his closing speech. “I am now holding consultations on the signing of this law and will make a decision in three or four days,” the president said, after which he thought for a moment, and then added: “And I want to tell you that I already know what decision I need to make.” But I formally need to carry out all the procedures..." In response, the hall became noisy, the delegates happily chattered - "probably he will veto." “You started to react correctly,” Mr. Yushchenko continued, smiling. Trade unionists responded with applause.

SERGEY Kommersant-SIDORENKO

Viktor Yushchenko carried out trade union work