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Pneumonia-stricken mayor of Kyiv says he's working hard on city's draft budget for 2009
Mar 5, 2009 at 16:34 | Interfax-Ukraine"Despite suffering from pneumonia, I keep my finger on the pulse of the situation in Kyiv. I know absolutely everything and I'm working hard on the city's draft budget for 2009," he said.
A Borys ambulance is always near his house, an Interfax-Ukraine correspondent said. Two of Chernovetsky's grandchildren sat next to him at the beginning of the "at home" press conference, but then left.
The mayor answered several questions and promised he would answer the remaining questions after his recovery.
Commenting on a council held at the presidential secretariat on Wednesday, Chernovetsky said that "his activities will be assessed by Kyiv's residents, who are in constant contact with him, even on sick leave."
"I am amazed that the Ukrainian president, as the guarantor of the Constitution and the rights of all Ukrainians, not only Kyiv residents, shares my idea that UAH 8 billion was stolen from the Kyiv budget. I think he will do all he can to return all of this money to ordinary people," he said.
Chernovetsky also commented on paid services allegedly introduced in Kyiv.
"I officially state that any talks about paid services in Kyiv, paid phone lines, are only rumors and trouble making," he said.
He expressed confidence that the city's budget for 2009 would be adopted at a Kyiv City Council meeting on Friday, March 6.
"As mayor, I will do everything to retain in the budget additional payments to pensioners and additional payments for the wages of doctors and teachers," Chernovetsky said.
After the conference, the mayor invited journalists to take tea and patties baked by "Ukrainian [woman] Oksana."
"Oksana looks after me very anxiously," he said, adding that she is teaching him Ukrainian.
Chernovetsky also showed the press the room where his mother-in-law lives, and his office. He said that the mother's-in-law room was built in Soviet times.
He also recalled that every morning, he runs a distance of five kilometers and then drinks a cup of tea.
"Oksana cooks porridge for me and serves fat-free kefir," Chernovetsky said.
Asked about his neighbors, he said: "I have 4,500 square meters of land. I live as many of Kyiv residents. I don't know my neighbors, they avoid me, and hate me and my cat Yasha."