Yushchenko assesses Tymoshenko’s statements about Vanco as incorrect and groundless

President of Ukraine Victor Yushchenko assesses statements of Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko that as if he lobbies Vanco company interests as incorrect and groundless.

According to an UNIAN correspondent, President’s Press Secretary Iryna Vannikova claimed this to a press conference today.

Victor Yushchenko notes that legal assessment of former governments and some companies activities is up to law-enforcement agencies and the judicial branch of power, and must not be made by the Prime Minister.

The President stressed that the main aim of involving foreign investors in the shelf exploration was to provide the energy independence of Ukraine from external energy sources.

“Instead of providing a normal work of the strategic investor, with supervising its activities, the Prime Minister is trying, over administrative methods, to subordinate the work of the whole energy branch, neglecting international regulations and procedures, as well as the international image of Ukraine”, I.Vannikova said, citing the President as saying.

According to her, the President notes that the agreement stipulates a civilized mechanism of solving disputes. “However, our American partners, and now even the Head of State, get to know about the position of government from mass media, in a form of political accusations, indicating lack of restraint, which does not correspond to the level of the state figure", the President’s Press Secretary said.

She also noted that the proposal of U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine William Taylor to set up a High Level Group to discuss all disputable issues, as well as his readiness to provide all the necessary comments, is rejected by the government.

I.Vannikova stressed that the Ukrainian President believes that Yulia Tymoshenko’s statements on the eve of the Energy Summit in Ukraine negatively influence the investment climate in Ukraine and hamper the national security of Ukraine.