Overlapped presidential veto angered opponents of smoking

President of Ukraine vetoed legislation to raise the rates of excise duty on tobacco products.

Press conference held in Kiev, showed: active opponents of smoking are very dissatisfied with the fact that Viktor Yushchenko has vetoed legislation to raise the excise taxes on tobacco and tobacco products.

Chairman of the National Board of Health under the President of Ukraine Mykola Polishchuk very surprised by the decision of the President. Indeed, in 2007 the National Forum "Health of the Nation" is Yushchenko announced "Seven Nation improvement initiatives", the first of which is, in fact, anti-tobacco: it says about reducing the impact of tobacco on public health.

According to N. Polishchuk, the high price of cigarettes has a very significant impact on reducing the number of smokers. Over the past 4 years the country has significantly decreased the number of smokers, about a million people parted with the harmful habit. Increased excise tax on tobacco is a direct impact on reducing the number of smokers, and thus to reduce the incidence of which is associated with tobacco. Besides imposing a veto on the law opposes Ukraine and Europe, where there is a relentless struggle to reduce the number of smokers.

Project Co-ordinator "Molodizhna Guard" (the organization was created to analyze the pre-election promises of the President of Ukraine) Eugenia Maleeha reported that in 2007, Viktor Yushchenko in the election campaign for the OU-PSD reported that his party would actively strive for a healthy life for the citizens of Ukraine . Thus, the President actually broke all the promises that were given about the fight against child and adult smoking.

Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Budget Oleg Lyashko commented on 4 main points that the President outlined in the proposals on the veto of the law. According to O. Lyashko, increased smuggling of cigarettes, reducing the volume of Ukrainian tobacco production, reducing revenue from the tobacco industry and job cuts are completely baseless. The deputy chairman of the Committee BP reported that its information on the veto of this law has brought to the President about 5 million dollars, listed in the company involved in the conduct of the election campaign for the most Viktor Yushchenko.

Official figures from the State Customs Service and the Security Service have denied the existence of facts of import to Ukraine of contraband tobacco products. In this case Customs said that in 2009 was averted in 1700 attempted illegal export of cigarettes from Ukraine. These facts show transparently: the price of tobacco products in Ukraine are among the lowest.

Oleg Lyashko reported that the Ukrainian production of cigarettes in this year compared with last year decreased only by 11%, while the total figures for the industry achieve a 30% decline. The decline in production clearly shows: people are smoking less.

Especially criticized by O. Lyashko been motivated about reduction in revenue after the introduction of new high excise tax rates. In terms of Mejlis, the argument of the President can be considered a particularly cynical.

So for the first 10 months of 2008 state budget replenished with "tobacco" money for 2 billion 732 million hryvnia. And for the first 10 months of this year, "tobacco" revenue budget is $ 7 billion to 8 million hryvnia. Given that the new excise taxes on tobacco came into force only from May, the difference is even more impressive. Money to raise excise taxes, according to the MP, will be aimed at eliminating the consequences of floods in western Ukraine, on the content of Ukrainian embassies in other countries, the financing of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.

Express their opinions and former Deputy Minister of Economy Vladimir RYABOSHLYK, which now serves as an economic expert. Apparently, the service, which analyzed the situation and prepared for Viktor Yushchenko's decision to impose a veto, the President introduced misleading. It veto the law flatly inconsistent with the position of head of state in matters of European integration.

Most likely, the President finally sign the law, because the abundance of negative public reaction to the veto can not get his attention. Apparently, Viktor Yushchenko will understand the situation, and the law enters into force.