Verkhovna Rada approves only two anti-crisis laws

Yesterday the Verkhovna Rada approved only two of the five proposed anti-crisis laws – passage of which was a prerequisite for the International Monetary Fund to resume talks on the second tranche of its USD 16.5 bln standby loan. Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko and Viktor Baloha, the head of the Presidential Secretariat, accused each other of sabotaging the vote. The two laws passed yesterday increased the excise taxes on cigarettes, alcohol and gas. MPs are due to take up consideration of the other laws by the end of the week.