KIEV, May 24 ??“ Prime Minister Yuriy Yekhanurov said Wednesday a recent forecast by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development that Ukraine??™s economy will slow down growth to 1.2% in 2006 was too pessimistic.

Yekhanurov, who has been earlier predicting the economy would expand 6% on the year in 2006, said he was ready to make a bet with EBRD President Jean Lemierre.