The Ukrainian Ministry of Housing and Communal Services and the World Bank signed a USD 140 mln loan agreement on May 27 to improve housing and communal services. The agreement must be ratified by the Verkhovna Rada. Among the projects that will be funded will be modernization of the city water systems in Odesa, Chernihiv and Ivano-Frankivsk. This year’s state budget provides for the government to spend an additional UAH 399.5 mln (USD 79.1 mln) into housing and communal services projects.