Lytvyn calls for 2010 budget to be endorsed in 2009
Nov 22, 2009 at 12:41 | Ukrainian NewsVolodymyr Lytvyn presented his stance on the matter of the 2010 national budget at a press conference in Ovruch, Zhytomyr region.
"My firm conviction is that the national budget should be endorsed now. This is the budget for the country... From the point of social standards the national budget [endorsed] after the presidential elections will be much worse than it is today," the Verkhovna Rada speaker said.
According to Volodymyr Lytvyn, during the work on the finalization of the draft national budget for 2010 the Cabinet of Ministers should take into consideration the fact that the Verkhovna Rada has failed to override a veto of the law on the new wording of the Budget Code. Therefore, the draft national budget must be based on the ground of the current wording of the Budget Code. The government should also amend the draft national budget for 2010 to abide by the law increasing the minimal wage and the minimum wage.
According to Volodymyr Lytvyn, he can call on people not to execute their duties if the executive branch of the government denies people abiding by the law increasing social standards immediately.
"If the law on state social standards is not abided, being a citizen I will have no alternative to applying to people with a proposal to ignore utility services bills," he said.
If the Cabinet observes the proposals and if a joint group comprising representatives of the Verkhovna Rada and the government is formed, the 2010 national budget can be endorsed by the end of this year, Volodymyr Lytvyn said.
The parliamentary speaker noted, however, he saw no enthusiasm with the faction of the Party of Regions or the faction of the Bloc of Yulia Tymoshenko concerning the endorsement of the 2010 national budget.
As Ukrainian News earlier reported, Verkhovna Rada Chairman Volodymyr Lytvyn believes the parliament and the Cabinet of Ministers should create a joint group for finalization of the 2010 national budget.
The Verkhovna Rada has returned to the Cabinet of Ministers the draft national budget for 2010 for finalization.