Wednesday, February 10, 2010

November 09, 2009 16:29 PM

Ukrainian Pres Sees No Reasons For State Of Emergency Over Flu Epidemic

KIEV, Nov 9 (Bernama) -- Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko does not see any reasons to introduce the state of emergency in the country over a flu epidemic.

According to a report Monday by Russian news agency, Itar-Tass, Yushchenko made a statement in an interview with the 5th television channel on Sunday evening.

"I come out against the country to stay motionless or restrict its activities," Yushchenko said.

According to him, the government should "show the actions adequate to the current situation."

In this respect, he recalled that the World Health Organisation (WHO) warned about the start of the flu pandemic back in May, and each country was to take appropriate measures to prevent it.

"To be ready for it is the duty of each government, each doctor," Yushchenko said.

"Ukraine turned out to be unprepared - there were no corresponding diagnostics laboratories, test systems, and no vaccination was conducted," he noted.

Deputy chief of the Ukrainian presidential secretariat Igor Popov stated at the end of last week that the flu epidemic may even be the reason for postponing the presidential elections due on January 17, 2010.

"If the government fails to put under control the flu epidemic situation, the introduction of the state of emergency in the country and the postponement of the presidential elections to May 30 is not ruled out," Popov said.

-- BERNAMA

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