KIEV, Dec. 23 - The Cabinet of Ministers has proposed that Parliament impose in 2015 an annual tax of UAH 25,000 on luxury cars (with a diesel engine of over 2.5 liters and with a gasoline engine of over 3 liters, and not older than five years).

KIEV, Dec. 24 – The National Bank of Ukraine, banking associations, banks with large amounts of foreign currency mortgage loans issued to individuals, and coordinators of borrowers' groups have agreed a memorandum to regulate the restructuring of consumer loans in foreign currency, the NBU said.

KIEV, Dec. 25 – Private gas producing companies consider the government's initiative to introduce increased royalties for gas production by private firms in 2015, fixed at 55% and 20% depending on the depth of gas wells, to be extremely dangerous.

TIRASPOL, Dec. 25 – The president of the unrecognized Transdniestria Moldovan Republic, Yevgeny Shevchuk, has said that the authorities are ready to provide at least Odessa region with electricity generated by Moldova's state district power plant.

KIEV, Dec. 26 – Italy's Eni and France's Electricite de France (EDF) have submitted an application for signing a production sharing agreement to develop the Foroske gas field, Ukrainian Energy and Coal Industry Minister Eduard Stavytsky said at a press conference in Kiev.

KIEV, Dec. 26 – Naftogaz Ukrayiny and Russia's Gazprom have decided to move a part of payment for natural gas supplied in 2013 to March 2014, Ukrainian Energy and Coal Industry Minister Eduard Stavytsky said.

KIEV, Dec. 26 – The government will extend subsidies on the price of electricity for ferroalloy plants into 2014, Prime Minister Mykola Azarov promised.

LONDON/KIEV, Dec. 26 - Standard & Poor's has changed the outlook on its "B-" long-term foreign- and local currency ratings assigned to Ukraine to stable from negative.

KIEV, Dec. 26 - Ukraine and ExxonMobil delayed by another month the signing of the production sharing agreement on a major Black Sea natural gas field, Energy and Coal Industry Minister Eduard Stavytskiy said.

KIEV, Dec. 25 – Ukraine expects to continue cooperation with the International Monetary Fund and positive negotiations with the World Trade Organization, President Viktor Yanukovych said.