KIEV -- President Leonid Kuchma's spokesman on Wednesday denied reports that he had agreed to introduce emergency measures in order to combat Ukraine's energy crisis.


Kuchma has acknowledged that the country's energy sector was in a critical state, but did not approve of any agreement with the government on declaring a state of emergency, spokesman Oleksandr Martynenko said.


Interfax reported Tuesday that the government had worked out an emergency plan calling for a review of legally questionable privatization deals in the energy sector, an audit of energy companies' cash and barter operations, and the establishment of differential prices and tariffs for energy resources.