Foros, August 5 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych has cut short his vacation and is returning to Kyiv, where he will monitor fire prevention measures "twenty-four hours a day," the presidential press service has said.
The president announced this on Thursday, while addressing a special meeting of the National Security and Defense Council in his Zoria state residence near the village of Foros in Crimea, the press service said. The president said he was not satisfied with the ways the government’s orders on fire prevention were being implemented in Ukraine.
"That is why I am going to Kyiv and will be monitoring the situation around the clock, [and] watching how you carry out these decisions locally," he said, addressing members of the National Security and Defense Council, ministers and regional governors, who were recalled from leave.
The president said that all the governors should be recalled from leave and bear personal responsibility for the situation.
Yanukovych said that First Vice Prime Minister Andriy Kliuyev, who is currently acting as the head of government, would take charge over fire prevention in Ukraine. At the same time, Prime Minister Mykola Azarov will not be recalled from leave, as he has just gone through a course of medical treatment.
Addressing Defense Minister Mykhailo Yezhel he said that he had ordered military units to block all entries to forests.
In addition, the president focused on the need to protect all the dangerous facilities, in particular ammunition depots, petroleum storage depots etc. Regional and district authorities should warn people via the mass media against visiting forests.
The president instructed Prosecutor General Oleksandr Medvedko and Ukrainian Security Service Chief Valeriy Khoroshkovsky to conduct investigations into fires and identify those guilty of causing them.
Citing data from weather forecasting services, the head of state noted that the heatwave would continue for another two or three weeks, and the country "needs to hold on until the heat subsides."
"We should take the most rigid steps to prevent fires and protect the country," the president said.
