Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko expects Ukraine to get a second
tranche of IMF's stand-by arrangement even in March-April, she said
this in an interview to the French newspaper Le Monde, UKRINFORM reported.
She recalled that Ukraine had already addressed to the US, the EU,
China, Japan and Russia asking for a credit. Ukraine has so far
concluded no deal on extending a loan for Ukraine with either of the
countries mentioned.
On March 3, Ukraine sent a draft letter of intent on further cooperation to the IMF.
The President, the Prime Minister and the Verkhovna Rada Speaker had
earlier agreed to make amendments to the state budget for 2009 in
April-May. The parties reached a consensus that fiscal deficit would
post 3.1% of GDP after revision. The very issue on the size of fiscal
deficit was one of the points of discussion in the talks with the IMF
to gain a second tranche of the stand-by arrangement.
As reported, the IMF postponed extension of a second tranche of its
stand-by arrangement to Ukraine (planned for February 15), having
called on the authorities to cut fiscal deficit, enhance monetary
policy and control banking sector.
On November 5, 2008 the IMF approved a two-year Stand-By Arrangement
(SBA) for about USD 16.4 billion to help the authorities restore
financial and economic stability. On November 10, the first tranche at
USD 4.5 billion came in Ukraine.
