The Ukrainian authorities should adjust the gas price in the domestic market to the level of imported parity, as this will promote the development of a free gas market and encourage consumers to save energy,” the IMF permanent representative in Ukraine, Yost Lyngman said.
“This will enable the Ukrainian gas sector to cover costs and get a resource for investment in the gas infrastructure. Thanks to this, new companies will come to the gas market, which will create healthy competition. A single price for all consumers will eliminate the space for corruption,” Lyngman is reported as saying.
The IMF representative also assessed the results of the changes on the Ukrainian gas market. According to him, the reform of prices for energy carriers is ‘one of the greatest achievements of Ukraine’s reform efforts over the past few years.’
As Lyngman noted, ‘it is important that prices are subsequently determined by the market, and the practice of hidden and non-income subsidy recipients is not renewed.’
Over the past few years, natural gas for ordinary Ukrainians has become more expensive by almost 10 times – prices have risen from 0.72 to 6.8 hryvnia per cubic meter.
