Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovich has promised to name a new prime minister by tomorrow, moving to douse political uncertainty after the International Monetary Fund said it was postponing until January a visit to discuss a new IMF programme.
Mr Yanukovich, who dismissed Ukrainian prime minister Mykola Azarov’s government on Monday after an October 28th parliamentary election, said he would nominate his candidate before he left on an official visit to India.
“I will announce the candidate for prime minister by this Sunday,” his official website quoted him as telling a group of diplomats late on Thursday.
The IMF said on Thursday it was postponing to late January a visit due to start yesterday.
IMF local representative Max Alier said the decision was made at the request of the Ukrainian authorities in view of possible government changes.
But with the delay worrying Ukraine’s creditors, credit agency Standard and Poor’s yesterday downgraded Ukraine’s sovereign rating by one notch to “B” with a negative outlook.
A new IMF programme is required to help the former Soviet republic repay foreign creditors $9.1 billion (€7 billion) in 2013, up from $6.5 billion this year. This includes $6.4 billion already owed to the IMF. – (Reuters)