Gas price hike last Ukraine obligation before the IMF, NBU official says

Adjusting household natural gas prices based on the
import parity principle is the last outstanding obligation Ukraine has to
fulfill to receive the next IMF tranche, National Bank of Ukraine Council
Chairman Bohdan Danylyshyn told the 5 Kanal television network on June 26. “But
our groups of experts from Ukraine and IMF experts are working intensively
currently,” he said, suggesting that the government implement gas price hikes
in stages with accompanying subsidies for the poor. “Is there a risk of IMF
cooperation being halted? Of course,” he said, adding that he expects an IMF
mission will arrive in the fall to make its decision.

The U.S. government still expects Ukraine’s parliament
will approve amendments to the anti-corruption court legislation that will
enable the newly created court to hear appeals on cases already begun, said on
June 26 Jorgan Andrews, the director of the Office of Eastern European Affairs
of the U.S. State Department. These amendments should be approved as soon as
possible, he said. At the same time, the U.S. won’t be directly involved in
these talks, which should occur directly between Ukraine and the IMF, he said, as
reported by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. He estimated the next IMF tranche
at USD 1.9 bln.

Zenon Zawada: We don’t expect trouble with these last requirements for the next IMF
loan tranche. The IMF has also called upon Ukraine’s parliament to approve the
same amendments, though parliament failed to review them alongside another
anti-corruption court bill that was approved last week (and also required by
the IMF).