OREANDA-NEWS. September 08, 2008. The Government will develop coal industry at the cost of budget policy for 2009. Prime Minister of Ukraine Yulia Tymoshenko told at a meeting devoted to debate of the 2009 State Budget indices with representatives of the Ministry of Fuel and Energy, Ministry of Coal Industry, Ministry of Environmental Protection and Ministry of Transport and Communications of Ukraine.

The Head of Government noted that Government’s attention in the coal field would be basically focused on essential increase of coal production. According to Yulia Tymoshenko, already this year coal production is predicted at 4 million tons as compared with minus 5 million tons last year.

The Prime Minister said that drafting the 2009 budget the Government should take into consideration some priority tasks as well, in particular, concerning all hydroelectric power facility which ensures an absolutely different quality of the generation system’s operation and influences the electric power price in the country.

As Yulia Tymoshenko says, this also concerns the creation of a proper nuclear fuel cycle which is strongly financed by the Government already this year and represents energy independence and security of Ukraine. “We have to do all possible steps so that nuclear energy could be our stability assurance in the generation system,” the PM stressed.

Moreover, according to Yulia Tymoshenko, it is necessary to complete updating process of the NJSC "Naftogaz of Ukraine" system and bend every effort to increase our proper natural gas production, in particular, in the Black Sea shelf.

As the Prime Minister informed, the 2009 State Budget bill sets out as absolute priority provision of all main expenditures for the system of waterproof constructions, coast-protecting structures; completion of financing programs on gearing up for Euro-2012; formation of a new development concept of air- and railway communications and creation of a new financing system of road industry development.