Ukraine's leading English-language newspaper since 1995

Viktor Yanukovych has said that the main task for the new government is to draft the state budget for 2010. Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych has said that the main task for the new government is to draft the state budget for 2010.

"It [the budget for 2010] should be drafted as quickly as possible, taking into account the current critical situation seen in almost all areas," he said at a meeting with government members at his administration on Friday.

Yanukovych said that a balanced approach should be applied during the drafting of the budget for every region "no matter who voted, and how."

He said he hoped that the ideology of reforms would be fundamental in the new government.