Lagarde says she hopes the IMF Executive Board will approve the third tranche for Ukraine / Photo from UNIAN
Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Christine Lagarde said that Ukrainian Economic Development and Trade Minister Aivaras Abromavicius' resignation was "of concern" but mentioned no changes to Ukraine's funding program, according to Reuters.
"If the allegations that he makes in his resignation are correct, then it's obviously an indication that the anti-corruption measures that were committed to by the government are not yet working," Lagarde told a media briefing on Thursday, Reuters wrote.
She added that such measures need "to be implemented and enforced rigorously, because the authorities are accountable not only to the Ukrainian people, but also to the international community."
A government source told UNIAN on Thursday that Ukraine had not yet agreed the wording of the memorandum with the country's key lender, the IMF, on the current review of the four-year $17.5 billion Extended Fund Facility, which is needed for the disbursement of the third tranche worth $1.7 billion.
While meeting with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko on January 21, Lagarde said that she hoped that the memorandum would be agreed shortly after, and the IMF Executive Board would approve the third tranche.