KIEV -- Ukraine's parliament chairman Monday sharply criticized the rapid pace of economic reforms initiated by President Leonid Kuchma, which he said would hurt rather than help the former Soviet republic.


"The first steps of the president regarding the right to own land, price policy and salaries, in my opinion, were hurried, unconvincing, and too political," Olexander Moroz said.


But Moroz, the leader of the Socialist Party, said in an interview that Kuchma did not prepare the parliament or the Ukrainian people for the consequences of sudden economic liberalization.


"This is the 'shock therapy' which many countries have gone through," he said, referring to steep price increases this month.


"But there have so far been no reforms. Who would say that in conditions of total deficit price increases mean reforms?"