PUSTOVOYTENKO SAYS WORLD BANK TO CONTINUE SUPPORT TO UKRAINE. Ukrainian Prime Minister Valeriy Pustovoytenko has said the World Bank is ready to help Ukraine promote economic reforms, Interfax reported on 5 October. Pustovoytenko added that he had "very productive talks" with World Bank President James Wolfensohn in Washington and that Wolfensohn had "confirmed our cooperation." Pustovoytenko pledged that Ukraine will not default on its debts. Ukraine has already received $1.23 billion in loans from the World Bank. Last month, the World Bank decided to give Ukraine $900 million for four projects to be implemented by the end of 1999. JM

OFFICIAL MONTHLY INFLATION RATE IN UKRAINE REACHES 3.8 PERCENT. The State Statistics Committee has reported that the monthly inflation rate rose to 3.8 percent in September, up from 0.2 percent in August, Ukrainian News reported on 5 October. However, experts believe that figure is grossly understated. "In this manner, the government is trying to lower inflationary expectations," the agency quoted one expert as saying. The official inflation rate for the first nine months in Ukraine was 6.1 percent. The official hryvnya exchange rate fell by 51 percent in September. JM

UKRAINIAN SPEAKER OPPOSES VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE IN CABINET. Ukrainian Supreme Council speaker Oleksandr Tkachenko has said he is opposing a vote of no confidence in the government, ITAR-TASS reported on 5 October. A total of 202 deputies have supported a motion by the Hromada party and the Socialist Party to put the issue on the parliamentary agenda. The cabinet is expected to deliver a report on the economic situation to the legislature on 13 October. Tkachenko said that under Ukraine's current financial straits, the parliament should seek to avert a political crisis. He added that he does not rule out the possibility of replacing some ministers but is against ousting the entire cabinet. JM