“Yanukovych ultimatum to Rada to raise subsistence level is a cheap shot. He even didn’t come to Rada to vote for it,” Oleh Zarubinsky says

July01200922:32

“Yanukovych comments after the abortive vote on the Regions ultimatum to raise subsistence level are just nonsense. He has no moral right to offer his comments as, after so much hubbub by the Regions about the importance of raising the subsistence level, Yanukovych didn’t even come to parliament to vote for the bill. Of course, someone voted for him using his voting card. This amply shows how they treat the problems of the poor. Playing golf and tennis every day, it is so difficult to think about ordinary Ukrainians, Oleh Zarubinsky from the Lytvyn bloc told ZIK July 1.

According to Zarubinsky, the Lytvyn bloc supported the bill in the first reading on condition that, by the second reading, the bill authors will specify where to scrape together tens of billions of hryvnias needed to implement the bill. The Regions bill was mum about the sources of funding.

“Even speaking on the sidelines in Verkhovna Rada, Regions lawmakers could not specify the funding sources. Yanukovych suggested using the IMF credits. Other Regions speakers suggested to raise the amount by refinancing banks. Still others pointed to Naftohaz as a cash cow. It means they have no idea where to take the money from. That is why their bill is just a cheap campaign shot,” Zarubinsky stressed.

Comment by ZIK

The lawmakers who promised to back the Regions bill have traded in Ukrainians for cushy posts, this is how Regions leader Viktor Yanukovych commented the abortive vote.

“The Party of Regions insisted that Rada vote on the bill to raise pensions and salaries of low-income Ukrainians. We voted for the bill. Lawmakers from other factions who take to heart the problems of the poor also backed the bill. However, BYUT voted against the bill. In doing so, Yulia Tymoshenko demonstrated her true feelings towards poor Ukrainians. Meanwhile, she never stops assuring Ukrainians of her deep love for them from TV screens every day. When the crucial moment came, she, as usual, did the opposite, as, by the way, the Lytvyn bloc and the bulk of Our Ukraine,” Yanukovych commented.

“Many lawmakers promised to support the bill. We have got information that these lawmakers changed their minds after bargaining with the cabinet. They were offered cushy seats and this made them forget about their promises to the people. Let me assure you that the Party of Regions won’t stop trying to improve the life of the poor. We will keep pushing at the cabinet to raise pensions and salaries of low-income Ukrainians. We will force the cabinet to do this,” Yanukovych added.