Over 30% of Party of Regions faction against Naftogaz reform bill
More than 30% of Party of Regions faction deputies are against the government bill to reform Naftogaz Ukrainy, the secretary of the Verkhovna Rada's special control commission on privatization, Party of Regions MP Anton Kisse, has said.
"I won't vote for the current wording of this bill. I will vote when certain amendments are introduced to it, including those that are being worked out by the special commission," he said live on Channel 5.
"I think that over 30% [of Party of Regions faction deputies] won't support the draft [law on Naftogaz reform] that was proposed. And I think that [Party of Regions faction leader Oleksandr] Yefremov said very accurately and clearly that until all factions in parliament agree on this bill, we won't put it to the vote," Kisse said.
As reported, bill No. 2937 on amendments to certain legislative acts of Ukraine to reform Naftogaz was introduced by the Ukrainian government on April 25 this year.
The Cabinet of Ministers proposed that the parliament lift a ban on the privatization of state enterprises that are subsidiaries of National JSC Naftogaz Ukrainy and whose core business is gas transportation via trunk pipelines and storing gas in underground facilities, as well as enterprises, institutions and organizations formed as a result of the reorganization of such companies. The cabinet also suggests allowing the leasing of trunk pipelines.
Earlier, Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych said that Ukraine was considering the transfer of Ukraine's gas transport system to leasing in order to raise funds to modernize and maintain the pipelines and guarantee sufficient amounts of gas transit. Ukrainian authorities earlier said that the creation of a trilateral consortium with the participation of Russian and European companies on a parity basis is appropriate and will let the country raise funds to modernize the transport system and boost its reliability and throughput capability.
