AFP 06-12-2014 - 7:03 p.m. An IMF team will visit Ukraine on - TopicsExpress

AFP 06-12-2014 - 7:03 p.m. An IMF team will visit Ukraine on December 9 A team from the International Monetary Fund, the main creditor of Ukraine, will visit the country from 9 December to discuss with the authorities in the implementation of deep economic reforms, announced Saturday the institution. For its part, the Ukrainian public group Naftogaz announced on the night of Friday to Saturday have paid to Russian giant Gazprom $ 378 million in advance for the delivery of nearly one billion cubic meters of Russian gas. The IMF representative in Ukraine Jerome Vacher said in a statement that the next mission of the international institution, scheduled for 9 days, was to engage in political discussions with the Ukrainian authorities in the context of the economic reform program supported by the funds. The IMF has promised to Ukraine international financial assistance of $ 27 billion in loans, of which 17 billion will be provided solely by the Fund in exchange for broader economic restructuring. The IMF has recognized, however, after a working visit in November that the country would need additional aid of at least $ 19 billion by the end of 2015. In almost continuous recession in over two years, Ukraine is on the verge of bankruptcy, undermined by a severe economic crisis, the fall of the national currency, endemic corruption and costly armed conflict in the east. The IMF should pay particular Ukraine a new tranche of 2.7 billion dollars in aid after the $ 4.6 billion already paid earlier. These funds are crucial for the Ukrainian authorities who must repay the gas debt to Russia and find a solution to the coal shortage that threatens the country with the approach of winter. Russia in June cut gas supplies to Kiev who refused the price increase decided by Gazprom. The conflict was feared Europeans a disruption of their own supplies transiting through the territory of the former Soviet republic during the winter. After several rounds of negotiations, Ukraine, Russia and the European Union in October found a temporary solution to the dispute. These agreements have addressed the clearance of arrears of Ukraine, and the terms of payment for deliveries until March 2015. Ukraine has paid part of its debt of $ 3.1 billion to Russia in early November by paying an initial installment of $ 1.45 billion. A second tranche of 1.65 billion remains to be paid by the end of the year. The Russians estimate the total arrears Kiev 5.3 billion dollars, but agreed to defer to an arbitration court for some 2.2 billion remaining The Gazprom spokesman Sergei Kupriyanov, on Saturday confirmed the settlement of $ 378 million in Kiev. The perilous task of economic recovery and implement unpopular reforms demanded by the IMF was entrusted to two foreigners, naturalized Ukrainian few hours before their appointment. The American Natalie Jaresko, former US State Department and previously director of investment funds, was approved Tuesday by the Ukrainian Parliament as Minister of Finance. Lithuanian Aivaras Abromavicius, former senior executive of a Swedish fund, which inherited the portfolio of Economy has already promised to use the most radical methods to implement economic reforms. Russia has also taken its coal supplies to Ukraine, which were suspended for two weeks, announced the Ukrainian Ministry of Energy. Kiev faced a shortage of this product and has already had to make massive power cuts. Wagons containing about 50,000 tons of coal are already en route to the thermal power plants. This is the coal that was blocked at the Russian border, the ministry said in a statement.