UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT TO DISCUSS GAMBLING BAN (Update)

29 May 2009

And hopes that the situation may be "temporary"
 

Last week's demonstrations by gambling operators protesting the unilateral parliamentary ban on all gambling in the Ukraine seem to have had the desired effect, with President Viktor Yuschenko stepping in to calm the situation.

Interfax news agency reports that the president has not yet signed the bill into law, and before doing so he has undertaken to discuss the matter further with representatives from the gambling industry. And the president brought new hope to gambling executives by referring to the ban as "temporary" in promising to forward the industry's proposals back to parliament for further consideration.

"I have four days to take a decision," Yuschenko said, adding that the legislation passed last week by the Verkhovna Rada was populist. He noted that he could have vetoed the law, but opined that this will not produce a lasting result.

"If I veto [the law], parliament will override the veto next day," the head of state said, inviting indiustry officials to communicate with him and suggest alternative proposals.

Around 1,500 gambling business representatives gathered at Bankova Street in Kyiv not far from the Presidential Secretariat.

Speaking to the protestors, the vice president of the Ukrainian association of gambling operators, Hryhoriy Tripulsky, said that people from various regions came to take part in the strike.

"Unfortunately, the parliament, in one day, left us without work," he said, adding that this is the third rally with a request to veto the law.

"We want to believe that the president would hear us. I hope that we gather here for the last time, and the law will be vetoed," he said.   

Online Casino News Courtesy of Infopowa

Top of page | Home | News | Forum | Webcast | Vortran | Accredited Casinos | Evil Ones | Pitch a Bitch | Online Gambling Resources | Poker