Yulia Tymoshenko will start 2010 calmly (photo report)

On Wednesday, November 11, Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko met with G8 and EU-country ambassadors and representatives of the Delegation of the European Commission to Ukraine. The head of government informed the Europeans about the financial steps that the Cabinet of Ministers has taken, the current state of cooperation between Ukraine and the International Monetary Fund and discussed issues concerning European assistance to Ukraine.

The Cabinet of Ministers, announced Yulia Tymoshenko, has already passed a resolution on the principles of financing the country in 2010 in case parliament doesn’t ratify the State Budget for next year. The IMF acknowledged the principles.

“Together with International Monetary Fund representatives, we worked out ways to execute the 2010 budget in order to first, not break Ukraine’s law, and second, keep the financial balance sheet level to ensure the country’s lifeline. And exactly on the basis of our joint work, a government resolution was passed which is in accordance with the budget code for 2010 financing up to the moment of passing the 2010 budget," she said.

The Prime Minister is certain that Ukraine is ready to calmly begin the year 2010, irrespective of all the political opposition she is facing.

At the same time, Yulia Tymoshenko has been looking at future cooperation with the IMF as the main anti-crisis program of Ukraine.

We consider continued cooperation between Ukraine and the IMF as essential for completing the presidential election campaign, as a certain political step to stabilizing the political situation of Ukraine as well as overcoming the financial and economic crisis. Without the fourth IMF tranche, the situation will become extremely complicated,” she said.

In addition, Yulia Tymoshenko noted that continued cooperation with the IMF is a precondition to receiving assistance from the European Commission in order to maintain macro-financial stability in Ukraine.