Report: Ukraine receives third $1 bln tranche from IMF

KIEV, Sep 16 (PRIME) -- Ukraine has received the third, U.S. $1 billion tranche of financial aid from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), local news agency UNIAN reported on Friday citing data of the country’s central bank.

“According to information of the National Bank of Ukraine, the funds in the amount of an equivalent of $1 billion were received, as was expected following a decision of the fund’s board of directors announced on late September 14,” UNIAN reported.

Another local news agency Apostrophe reported citing a new edition of the IMF–Ukraine cooperation memorandum that Kiev expects to receive $1.3 billion more from the fund in 2016, but the IMF demands that the country conduct an unpopular pension reform, optimize payments of housing subsidies and develop a mechanism to increase tariffs on natural gas and heating.

The four-year financial assistance program for Ukraine encompasses allocation of a total of $17.5 billion. In March 2015, the first, $5 billion tranche was allocated, and the second, $1.7 billion tranche was provided in August of that year.

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