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Ukraine’s Culture Ministry dismisses reports on cancelling Victory Day festivities

It was reported earlier that festive events would be held in Ukraine on May 8, as in Western Europe

Victory Day parade in Kiev in 2010 (archive) ITAR-TASS/Vladimir Sindeev

Victory Day parade in Kiev in 2010 (archive)

© ITAR-TASS/Vladimir Sindeev

KIEV, March 24. /ITAR-TASS/. Ukraine’s parliament-appointed Minister of Culture Yevhen Nyshchuk has dismissed reports of several media outlets about the cancellation of Victory Day festivities on May 9.

“I found out about these initiatives from media reports,” he said. “We are not even talking about it. I don’t know whose initiative was this,” Nyshchuk added.

Earlier, some media reported that allegedly, in the nearest future, a bill on cancelling Victory Day festivities on May 9, drafted by Nyshchuk and approved by National Security Council’s secretary Andriy Parubiy, would be submitted to the parliament. It was also reported that the Victory Day would be celebrated May 8, as in Europe.

In addition, reports said that March 8 and May 1 would not be state holidays anymore, as May 9, and June 30 might become the day of restoring Ukrainian statehood.

However, the Verkhovna Rada Secretariat told Itar-Tass on Monday: “No such draft law has been submitted so far.”

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