IMF confirms technical mission at end-August

The International Monetary Fund confirmed on Friday that a technical mission will visit Ukraine on August 29-September 5. The IMF said the team will discuss technical aspects of the 2013 budget, energy sector reform and social assistance programs. First Vice Prime Minister Valeriy Khoroshkovsky said he expected the IMF mission earlier this month, at which time he reiterated the government’s position that gas and heating tariff hike for households, which the IMF has mandated to resume a frozen standby loan program, remained unrealistic.