Ukraine yet to fulfill last remaining requirement to receive EU aid – minister

Ukraine has one more condition to fulfill in order to receive the second tranche of financial assistance from the European Union, according to Finance Minister Oksana Markarova.

At the same time, the country has already fulfilled 11 of 12 relevant conditions set forward for receiving the second part of aid in the amount of EUR 500 million.

"As per the second EU tranche, we had 12 conditions, of which 11 were fully implemented as of now. We still have one more condition – this is about bringing the rules of our financial monitoring to the EU's Fourth Directive," said Markarova.

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The minister explains that the relevant bill has been developed and is being actively discussed in Rada committees, so in the near future the Verkhovna Rada will be able to pass it in due manner.

Markarova noted that once this step is taken, no other obstacles will emerge, but in order to start accepting funds, Ukraine must seal the program with the International Monetary Fund.

"Therefore, our agreements with the IMF are also important, and we still have an open opportunity to receive this second tranche by the end of this year," the minister added.

As UNIAN reported earlier, this year the European Union may provide Ukraine with the second tranche of macro-financial assistance.

Minister of Finance Oksana Markarova discussed the relevant issue in Washington with the Vice President of the European Commission Valdis Dombrovskis.

The European Council approved the fourth macro-financial assistance program for Ukraine in the amount of EUR 1 billion in June 2018, and in December 2018, the first tranche was provided in the amount of EUR 500 million in the form of a loan at 1.25% per annum maturing in April 2033.