KIEV, March 13 – The slowdown in the pace of real GDP growth in January to 4.9% was of short-term blip and linked mainly to the lengthy holidays, which is confirmed by the surge in industrial production to 11.5% in February and to 8.8% in January through February 2008, according to First Deputy Economy Minister Anatoliy Maksyuta.

"The government expected that economic growth in February would return to its previous level, which is over 5%," he told Interfax-Ukraine, commenting on statistics for industrial production in February.