IMF is concerned about the fact that Kyiv postponed the decision on raising gas rates.

The Fund wants to have clearness on the program of Memorandum with Ukraine as well as on the future of Ukrainian government.

The International Monetary Fund is concerned about the postponement of raising gas rates by Ukrainian authorities since April, as well as expects for clearness regarding the future of Ukrainian government, IMF Resident Representative in Ukraine Jerome Vacher said, Correspondent reports.

“We are looking forward to continuing negotiations and having clearness regarding the obligations of authorities in terms of policy, which we can support, including the energy sector”, - Vacher said.

He emphasized that IMF “requires clearness regarding the team, which realizes this policy and undertakes obligations, on which we have already agreed”.

He added that the Fund is concerned about the fact that government postponed the decision on raising rates.

According to IMF Memorandum, signed last year, Ukraine should reconsider rates since April 1, achieve 75-% import parity for the public and district heating companies.   NEURC forecasts that “social” gas price can be raised 1.5 times – from UAH 3600 to 5500 for 1 ths cubic meters, when the upper limit (UAH 7188) insignificantly decreases.

Ukrainians were given the new gas consumption rates.

The next wave of gradual raise of gas rates (in order to achieve the market price level in 2017) is planned for 2016, in compliance with government’s obligations to IMF.

Previously CEO of Naftogaz Andrei Kobolev informed about the necessity to raise gas rates for the public since April, as it is stipulated by the IMF Memorandum.