On Sunday, a festive evening dedicated to the 60th anniversary of Socialist Party leader Oleksandr Moroz was held at the capital's Palace of Culture and Arts. \n \nDuring the concert, Vice-Speaker Oleksandr Zinchenko presented Moroz with an honorary certificate from the Verkhovna Rada. He said that before the event, the parliament leadership had thought for a long time about what wording should be in the certificate, and settled on: "For special services to the Ukrainian people." \n \n"if the principles that reign in your soul ruled in our life, it would mean a different direction of development for the state," said Zinchenko. The vice-speaker said that "it is impossible to imagine a discussion in the Verkhovna Rada in which Moroz does not participate." \n \nIn addition, Zinchenko presented Moroz with a picture of a Kyiv landscape. \n \nThe host also read out a congratulatory telegram to Moroz from President Leonid Kuchma. \n \nThe head of state wished that "the high professionalism, competence and principledness of the jubilarian continue to serve the establishment of parliamentarism and the reform of Ukraine's political system." \n \nWhen the host read this telegram, some of those present in the hall smiled. \n \nCommunist Party leaders Petro Symonenko and BYuT's Yuliya Tymoshenko came to congratulate Moroz. Also in the hall one could see all members of the SPU faction, communists Borys Oliinyk and Valentyn Matvieiev, members of the "Our Ukraine" faction Yurii Yekhanurov, Oleksandr Morozov, Mykola Martynenko, Viacheslav Koval, and a representative of "Regions of Ukraine" Oleksandr Stoian. \n \nas reported by the "Our Ukraine" press service, Viktor Yushchenko had hoped until the last moment to come and congratulate Moroz, "however, due to a cold he could not do so." They also said there that Yushchenko congratulated Moroz during the week. \n \nDuring the festive evening, a documentary film about Oleksandr Moroz was shown, then fellow countrymen, politicians and artists took turns congratulating Moroz from the stage. \n\nFellow countrymen presented Moroz with a fir tree from his native parts, "because he is not just Moroz, but also the grandfather of 5 grandchildren." They also presented a "consumer basket containing a piece of salo, a tasty pickleE." \n \nUnderstanding that the basket must necessarily contain moonshine, Moroz asked "how many degrees," to which the SPU leader's fellow countryman replied: "sixty." \n \nMoroz's deputy in the SPU, Yosyp Vinskyi, presented the red flag of the Socialist Party "with the signatures of party activists." \n \nThe SPU faction, dressed as Cossacks, presented Moroz with a mace, a saber, a whip, a bunch of onions, a bottle of horilka and a "ladle with caviar." The presentation of gifts from the socialist deputies ended with the slogan "Glory to Hetman Moroz!" \n