UKRAINE: Mr Viktor Yushchenko, Ukraine's new President, yesterday announced sweeping reforms targeting his predecessor's controversial privatisation of state assets and generous retirement package. He told a conference of investors that the privatisation of around 30 companies owned by the state would be re-examined.
He said one of the companies would be the steel giant Kryvorizhstal, sold to former president Leonid Kuchma's son-in-law, Mr Viktor Pinchuk, for $800 million in June. Mr Pinchuk bid half as much as his competitors.
Mr Yushchenko, who has described the privatisation as theft, added: "Many other companies will be put through the same procedure." The Kuchma administration was widely accused of nepotism and corruption.
Mr Yushchenko said after his election victory that Mr Kuchma would have to "answer under the law like any other citizen".
The new Prime Minister, Ms Yulia Tymoshenko, once jailed by Mr Kuchma, has ordered her government to draw up a revised retirement package for him. He benefits from a generous pension, two cars, a cook, maid, and other luxuries.
Prosecutors were also urged to investigate claims that the old administration sold six nuclear-capable Kh-55 missiles to Iran and six to China, in violation of international treaties.
Yet greater focus has been placed on the death of the opposition internet journalist Giorgi Gongadze, found beheaded in 2000.
Mr Kuchma is heard on secret digital recordings telling his interior minister to "drive him out, throw [ him] out, give him to the Chechens". The ex-president denies the tapes are authentic or that he was involved in the killing.