10 Apr 2015 19:37

Ukraine sets up committee to organize WWII Victory Day festivities

KYIV. April 10 (Interfax) - Ukraine's government has set up a committee to organize celebrations of the 70th anniversary of the victory over Nazism and the end of World War II.

The committee is co-headed by the prime minister and the president's chief of staff. The culture minister is deputy head of the committee.

The Cabinet also appointed the committee's members, but the co-heads are authorized to replace them.

On Thursday, parliament passed government-introduced draft laws to declare May 8 an annual memorial date - the Day of Memory and Conciliation in Honor of All Victims of the Second World War of 1939-1945 - but simultaneously keep the Day of Victory over Nazism in the Second World War as an annual public holiday observed on May 9.