Mykola Tomenko: Ukrainians live thirteen and a half years less than Europeans
On Thursday Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Mykola Tomenko took part in the round table discussion “Celebration of the Year of Sports and Healthy Lifestyle 2012 in Ukraine.”
Delivering a keynote speech, Mykola Tomenko reminded that in line with the decree of the president the year 2012 was proclaimed a Year of Sports and Healthy Lifestyle. “On the initiative of the inter-faction association “Healthy and Sporty Ukraine”, which includes representatives of all parliamentary factions, and under assistance of the Committee on Family Matters, Youth Policy, Sports and Tourism, we will discuss the action plan of the government to celebrate the Year of Sports and Healthy Lifestyle on the local level,” M. Tomenko said, giving top priority to the healthy lifestyle.
“Every month the authorities shall assess the basic parameters of the standards of life, especially in terms of life expectancy,” the Deputy Chairman said. He reminded that as of January 1, 2012, in terms of life expectancy Ukraine lags behind the European Union countries by ten and a half years. “Ukrainian citizens live ten and a half years less than citizens of the European Union,” the politician stressed. “As far as Ukrainian and European men are concerned, the former ones live thirteen and a half years less,” he added. Mykola Tomenko stressed that in terms of death rate, Ukraine is on the 18th place in the world.
Commenting on the financial support of sports infrastructure, Mykola Tomenko focused on implementation of the law on physical culture and sports in part of tax relief for the businesses which support physical culture and sports. The old provision on VAT relief has been terminated, whereas a new norm, whereby “a target-oriented charitable aid provided to the amateur sports organizations and clubs to cover purchase or lease of sports equipment” came into effect. However, there was no outreach campaign, so the directors of sports clubs and children sports schools, and local self-government officials do not know how to work with the charitable aid.
As to the issues of sports infrastructure, M. Tomenko claimed that there are no places apart from schools and higher education establishments, where young people and pupils could take up physical culture and sports. However, it is possible to pay and go to the swimming pools in some schools and higher education establishments after the classes. “So, the state built the sports infrastructure in the schools, but neither students nor pupils can use it,” he stressed. Relevant requests to clarify this situation will be sent to the Ministry of Education and Science and the rectors of higher education establishments.
Mykola Tomenko reminded that the parliament discussed whether it is possible to renew the offices of instructors of physical culture and sports in the rural areas. The relevant bill was adopted in the first reading.
Moreover, M. Tomenko emphasized that the parliament should entrench the legislative norm, whereby the local self-government bodies shall at their option determine the places where the sale of alcoholic beverages and tobacco goods is prohibited.
Summing up, Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Mykola Tomenko called for implementing the law on the ban of sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages, including beer, in public places. He thinks that the parliament made a mistake, not having banned the direct advertising of beer. M. Tomenko stressed that it is by no means related to EURO-2012, as all European countries are advertising only trademarks.