Azarov: Tymoshenko lying about paying pensions from environmental money

Ukrainian Prime Minister Mykola Azarov has rejected a claim by his predecessor - former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko - that funds Ukraine received under the Kyoto Protocol were spent on pensions.

"The claim that the funds were allegedly earmarked for pensions is another lie," the premier said in an exclusive interview with Interfax-Ukraine.

According to Azarov, on the day when these funds "were borrowed from the special account," and converted from euros to hryvnias, and entered the joint account of the State Treasury - on that day no transfers to the pension accounts were made.

"On the contrary, the money was transferred for other than the intended purposes, for example, to purchase cars for the Interior Ministry... And on the day, when these funds were convert ed, when they tearfully claim that they were spent on the pensions, on that day no transfers to the Pension Fund were made. And that’s the actual truth," the premier said.