Another tranche of IMF dooms Ukrainians to poverty - Kyva
The new increase gas prices for households by 23%, which is stipulated in the IMF requirements for the provision of a new tranche, will lead people to poverty and force them to go out into the streets again in protests, Head of the Socialist Party of Ukraine Illia Kyva wrote on his Facebook page, the press service of the SPU has reported on its official website.
"Now everyone is discussing another handout from the IMF, but the government is trying to make a very good face in a very bad game. Another increase in gas tariffs for households by 23% is on the table, as well as poverty and freezing of Ukrainians in their homes in winter. Today a Ukrainian family is on the verge of survival - there are no such salaries in the country that could satisfy the IMF appetite... If the government takes this step, I do not rule out that this will lead to the despair of our people and they will again go to the streets," he wrote on his Facebook page.
The politician also said that Ukraine is lucrative to the creditor, since the IMF thus increases its own profit.
"The lender is waiting for anti-corruption reform, reform of the public fiscal service, but in fact the IMF is a "club of interests," and only their own profit is interesting for them. They have no complaints about our draft budget. It is beneficial for them that we return each time with our arms stretched out, barely making ends meet," he said.
According to Kyva, if there is no country strategy that would allow the effective use of borrowed money, cooperation with the IMF only drives the country into debt slavery. At the same time, he said that today every citizen of Ukraine owes the creditor about $1,500.
"For billions, which were used to attempt to plug the holes in the budget, which without a clear development strategy of the country is simply eaten up and which officials took away in their pockets - those who have not even been born yet will pay for those billions tomorrow. It does not matter, an old man or a small child. Now everyone owes the creditor about $1,500. And the figure will grow, because really we are not able to repay the debt without taking another loan," Kyva said.
As reported, the IMF and the Ukrainian authorities are still negotiating for further cooperation.
The National Bank of Ukraine is waiting for a decision on gas tariffs and some issues of the national budget to receive funds from the IMF.