Maiden Square, Kiev, Ukraine

The Ukrainian Economic Development and Trade Ministry has proposed to abolish the use of daylight saving time (DST) in the country.

"Currently, we have the following procedure for time calculating in Ukraine: the second time zone (Kyiv time) with adjusting clocks forward one hour on the last Sunday in March at 3 a.m. and adjusting clocks backward one hour on the last Sunday in October at 4 a.m. The bill provides for introducing the second time zone (Kyiv time) without adjusting clocks on the territory of Ukraine," describes the bill.

"The introduction of this order for time calculation is aimed at improving the health of citizens, increasing of the public's ability to work and reducing the number of accidents," reads the document.

The bill proposes that the order come into force on March 1, 2013.

The Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of Ukraine has opened a general discussion concerning the abandoning of DST and is open for proposals from citizens on the topic.

"The document is available on the Web site of the ministry in order to hold public hearings, and everybody can participate in this process, read the document, and put forward proposals. The ministry will summarize all of these proposals," said Anatoliy Maksiuta, First Deputy Economic Development and Trade Minister.

If the bill is adopted by the government, winter time will be observed also during summers. This means that when Europe is on DST, follows Ukraine same time as central Europe.