The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is ready to discuss with the Ukrainian authorities amendments to the bill on raising pensions (No.6614) within the framework of the pension reform goals defined by the fund and the World Bank, IMF Spokesperson William Murray has said.

"We are in close contact with the authorities regarding pension reform. Its implementation remains a critical condition for the fourth review of the IMF program with Ukraine. We urge the authorities and the parliament to ensure that the adopted pension law achieves the objectives of the reform, which have been worked out with the IMF and the World Bank. We are staying ready to further cooperate close with the authorities on any possible revisions the draft pension law may require in order to meet the objectives of the reform," the official said.

As reported, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund in a joint letter to the Ukrainian government expressed their fears about the amendments made to the bill on the pension reform (No. 6614) when it was prepared for second reading, World Bank Country Director for Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine Satu Kahkonen stated.

In particular, the matter concerns payment of temporary assistance to non-working people who reached the age of 60 without the necessary length of pension insurance, indexation of pensions in 2018-2020, and then automatically according to the formula.