Ukrainian PM Tymoshenko says President Yushchenko must resign
20/12/2008 12:25 KIEV, December 20 (RIA Novosti) - Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko said that President Viktor Yushchenko must resign on Saturday as he is weakening the country's economy on purpose.
"I believe that the country's president who works in the manner 'the worse, the better' and make money on mischief must resign on Saturday together with the head of the National Bank," Tymoshenko said in an interview with the Ukraina television channel.
The prime minister said that she demands the resignation of President Viktor Yushchenko as he and the administration of the National Bank and a number of other commercial banks have been weakening exchange rate of the national currency, hryvna, on purpose.
Ukraine was swept in October by a financial crisis caused by the ongoing global credit crunch. The country's key exporters - the steel and chemical sectors - were hit hardest.
The International Monetary Fund has agreed to lend Ukraine $16.43 billion to stabilize domestic economy. Ukraine has so far received the first $4.5 billion of the loan.
The parliament has passed anti-crisis legislation to help it deal with the situation.
