IMF TO SEND ANOTHER MISSION TO KYIV BEFORE DECIDING ON LOAN. The IMF will send another mission to Kyiv before deciding whether to continue disbursing the $2.2 billion loan to Ukraine, AP reported on 9 November. The IMF's team wrapped up negotiations with the Ukrainian government last week but left without signing any accord on the next loan tranche (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 9 November 1998). Meanwhile, former Russian Deputy Prime Minister Boris Nemtsov said in Kyiv on 9 November that the IMF cannot "save" either Russia or Ukraine, Interfax reported. Nemtsov criticized IMF experts for "imposing their liberal proposals" on Russia and Ukraine instead of accepting programs submitted by the governments of both countries. In Nemtsov's opinion, the reason for the crises in Russia and Ukraine is that the IMF imposed programs that "the authorities did not want to carry out." JM

UKRAINIAN PARLIAMENT TO PROPOSE ITS OWN 1999 DRAFT BUDGET. Yuliya Tymoshenko, chairwoman of the parliamentary Budget Committee, said on 9 November the budget committee has decided to work out its own 1999 draft budget as an alternative to the government's, ITAR-TASS reported. Tymoshenko argued that the government draft "has nothing to do with the reality." She said Ukraine will need some 8 billion hryvni ($2.3 billion) to service its domestic debt next year, while the government draft budget sets revenues at 32 billion hryvni and leaves only 3.9 billion hryvni to service that debt. Tymoshenko believes that the government needs to change the tax system to increase budget revenues. The budget committee proposes abolishing current corporate taxes next year and replacing them with a single sales tax on manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers. JM