KIEV, March 25 – Ukraine’s opposition Regions Party on Wednesday unveiled plans for massive street protests throughout the country on Friday targeting Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko’s government for its failure to ease the country’s severe economic crisis.

KIEV, March 25 – Optimism regarding the state of the current account of Ukraine's balance of payments in February fell, according to Valeriy Lytvytsky, the head of the group of advisors to the central bank's governor.

KIEV, March 24 - Ukraine hopes for compromise in the hitherto unsettled aspects of trade cooperation with Russia at the World Trade Organization negotiations, Deputy Prime Minister Hryhoriy Nemyria said in an interview in the Monday issue of the weekly Business.

KIEV, March 25 - Ukraine’s two biggest oil refineries are under investigation and may face penalties for alleged gasoline price fixing, Oleksiy Kostusev, the head of the Antimonopoly Committee, said Tuesday.

KIEV, March 25 – President Viktor Yushchenko on Tuesday urged Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko to arrange immediate talks with Russian natural gas giant Gazprom for signing a long-term gas supply agreement before the end of March.

KIEV, March 25 – In an apparent attempt to calm Russia’s fears over the pace of Ukraine’s accession to NATO, President Viktor Yushchenko said Tuesday the full accession may take “years.”

KERCH, March 23 ??“ Emergencies Minister Nestor Shufrych has slammed the two previous governments for not financing coastal protection programs and developing Tuzla Island in 2005 and the first three quarters of 2006.

KIEV, March 23 ??“ Ukraine??™s ruling coalition replaced Health Minister Yuriy Poliachenko with Yuriy Haidaev on Friday.

KIEV, March 24 ??“ Yuriy Lutsenko, a popular opposition leader, resumed active campaign throughout Ukraine criticizing the government after a court had ruled that prosecutors had no reasons to impose restrictions on his traveling.

KIEV, March 23 ??“ Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych said that the recently created committee for reforms will spearhead the government??™s effort to modernize the country and draft a strategic development course.