President demands proper financing of judicial bodies

President Victor Yushchenko requested the Government to immediately address issues of financing of judicial bodies of Ukraine to ensure proper conditions for the functioning of courts and judges.

In his letter to Prime Minister Yulia Timoshenko President Victor Yushchenko stressed that the Constitution guarantees everyone the right to defend their rights and legitimate interests in court and obliges state government to provide funding and appropriate conditions for the functioning of courts and judges (articles 55 and 130 of the Basic Law).

However, said the President, today in Ukraine the situation with financing of courts is very unsatisfactory and threatening with mass violations of constitutional rights and freedoms of citizens and legal persons.

Visit to Crimea

On July 3-5 President Victor Yushchenko will make a working visit to the Republic of Crimea.

President takes part in celebration of the 440th anniversary of Union of Lublin

Together with the President of Poland Lech Kaczynski, Lithuania - Valdas Adamkus and former Chairman of the Parliament of Belarus Stanislav Shukhevych President Victor Yushchenko visited the ecumenical service at Lublin Cathedral.

Then, at the John Paul II Lublin Catholic University the President and heads of foreign delegations laid flowers at the monument to John Paul II and Cardinal Stefan Vyshynski.

After that the state leaders and high representatives took part in the opening and consecration of the memorial in honor of the 440^th anniversary of Union of Lublin treaty signature.

Heads of State and foreign delegations jointly participated in activities on the occasion of the anniversary of the historic document on the Lublin area in the city center near the monument Lublin Union.

In his speech at the arrangements Victor Yushchenko said, "With the highest dignity we speak out loud our national truth. We respect our common history, because we see hard and difficult school of life in it that taught all of us important truths. To be free and always support freedom of one another. To be equal and never let into our hearts the slightest intention of supremacy, nor that of humiliation. To be ourselves and love this great God given diversity in each other, which shapes our part of a single face of Europe".

Participants of the event also laid flowers at the monument to the Union of Lublin.

President congratulates Sweden on the beginning of her EU presidency

President Victor Yushchenko wrote a letter to the Prime Minister of Sweden John Fredrik Reinfeldt with congratulations on the beginning of Sweden’s presidency in the EU.

He expressed assurance that Sweden would contribute greatly to strengthening union’s potential in overcoming challenges of the present.

Also Victor Yushchenko expressed hope that in the time of its presidency in the EU the Swedish side would favor progress in such Ukraine-EU questions as signature of the Association and Free Trade Zone agreements, liberalization of visa regulations, development of cooperation in energy field, etc.

President goes to Poland

President Victor Yushchenko went with a working visit to Poland.
Within the framework of the visit, in Lublin, the President will take part in celebration of the 440^th anniversary of the Union of Lublin treaty signature.

Together with Presidents of other states and heads of foreign delegations Victor Yushchenko will attend the ceremony of opening and consecration of the memorial in honor of the 440^th anniversary of Lublin Union treaty signature called "From the Union of Lublin to the European Union", which will take place at Lublin Catholic University of John Paul II.

It is also expected that a multilateral declaration "From the Union of Lublin to the European Union" will be signed.

Visit to Poland

On July 1 President Victor Yushchenko will make a working visit to Poland.

President expects General Prosecutor's Office to study legality of Government hiding economic data

President Victor Yushchenko expects this week the Prosecutor General's Office to provide information on legality of the Government's decisions delaying publication of economic statistics.

"I asked the General Prosecutor's Office to study legality of Government's instructions, which had hidden the real statistics. I hope this week I will receive the information on this issue" he said said today in Vinnytsya in the interview to journalists.

The President expressed confidence that the relevant Government's decisions should be lifted. He also expressed assurance that the Cabinet hides economic data for only one reason: "These figures are bad".