KIEV, Sept. 26 - Faouzi Bensarsa, the policy advisor to the European Commission??™s director general for transport and energy, has rejected claims that Ukraine has put the brakes on its preparations to join the European Union for the Co-ordination of Transmission of Electricity (UCTE).

"I met with representatives of the government and I can't say that a slowdown has been seen. The work scheduled [for this period] is being fulfilled," the European Commission representative told the press after meeting with Fuel and Energy Minister Yuriy Boyko last week.