The creation of the Income and Tax Ministry is a good gift for taxpayers ahead of New Year holidays, the head of the newly created ministry, Oleksandr Klymenko, has said.

"I think that this is a good New Year gift for taxpayers," he told reporters after a government meeting in Kyiv on Wednesday.

Klymenko promised to talk about the work of the new ministry and its functions after New Year holidays.

"We all know one tradition that it's not good to open the gifts before the holidays. Therefore, I will systemically inform you about the ministry and its functions after the holidays," he said.

As reported, on December 24, 2012, Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych signed decrees creating the new Income and Tax Ministry on the basis of the State Customs Service and the State Tax Service and appointing Klymenko as its head.

Earlier, the activity of the State Tax Service and the State Customs Service was regulated by the Cabinet of Ministers through Finance Minister Yuriy Kolobov, who joined the previous government following his resignation as first deputy governor of the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) and retained the post of minister in the new government.

The post of head of the State Customs Service was vacant due to Ihor Kaletnik's election as an MP.

The president also signed a decree appointing NBU Governor Serhiy Arbuzov as curator of the new ministry, as well as of the Finance Ministry.