PM Groysman on promises to cut gas prices by 50-80%: Populists not going to fulfill their promises

Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman says the politicians who promise to reduce gas prices in Ukraine by 50-80% do not know how to do it and are not going to fulfill their promises.

"Populists say that gas prices in Ukraine can be halved or reduced even more. Please tell me if there is anyone here who knows how to do this? No... No one knows how to do this. But populists say they can do it. So they are not populists – they are simply magicians!" he said, when addressing foreign ambassadors on February 25.

Read alsoTalks with IMF on increasing gas tariffs at "hot stage" – Rada SpeakerThe prime minister also stressed that those who make loud statements about drastic cuts in gas prices are not going to fulfill their promises. "Populism and corruption are highly contagious, killing the immune system [of the state] and everything else," he added.

As UNIAN reported earlier, Groysman repeatedly stated that the government did not plan to raise gas prices in the current heating season. At the same time, setting market prices of natural gas is a prerequisite for further cooperation between Ukraine and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Following the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Poroshenko and IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde said on January 24 that measures were being harmonized to complete the fourth review of the cooperation program and the disbursement of the fifth loan tranche to Ukraine. According to Poroshenko, the government is ready to review gas prices in accordance with the requirements of the IMF, which stipulate the pricing based on the cost of gas production and transportation.

On February 8, Groysman said that the Cabinet was engaged in dialogue with the IMF on further adjustment of gas prices, which should take into account the full social protection of citizens.