KIEV, Dec. 13 ??“ The Finance Ministry said Wednesday that President Viktor Yushchenko??™s demands to increase minimum wages and pensions in 2007 would cost $2 billion, twice as much as has been earlier thought.

But the presidential office backed the original calculations, saying that Yushchenko??™s demands would cost $1 billion and can be financed by reducing the government??™s massive state investment programs.