News - Ukraine Backs State of Emergency to Fight Bird Flu

KIEV -- Ukraine's parliament on Tuesday endorsed President Viktor Yushchenko's decision to declare a state of emergency to combat a bird flu outbreak, despite some lawmakers' claims that the move was excessive. Yushchenko put three regions in the Crimean peninsula under an indefinite state of emergency Saturday after the country recorded its first case of type H5 bird flu.

The parliament supported the measure following a raucous session, but urged the president to specify the order by saying how long the state of emergency would last and what extra powers it gave local officials.

Ukraine Backs State of Emergency to Fight Bird Flu