KIEV, March 5 – The Ukrainian government intends to stimulate the domestic production of medicines, Prime Minister Mykola Azarov said.

"In the coming years, the government will take the line of stimulating the production of essential drugs in Ukraine," he said at a meeting with major domestic distributors of medicines in Kiev on Tuesday.

According to Azarov, relevant activities are envisaged in the state economic stimulation program.

Azarov said that imported drugs currently account for 80% of the Ukrainian market and domestic ones only for 20%.