KIEV, September 19 (RIA Novosti) - The Ukrainian parliament adopted Tuesday a law on the strength of the country's armed forces for 2007 that reduces the number of army personnel from 221,000 to 200,000 men, including 152,000 servicemen.
President Viktor Yushchenko originally proposed a draft law on the reduction of military personnel by 78,000 men in 2007-2011. Deputies, however, expressed concern about the social support of servicemen dismissed from military service, and instructed the government to ensure social guarantees for military retirees.
The law was adopted by a majority vote, 269 out of 450 deputies.
