KIEV, May 28 – Ukraine's Q1 national budget deficit is estimated at UAH479.4 million, up 43.8%, or UAH146 million, from previous estimates, the Finance Ministry has said on its official Web site.

"January through March 2009, the consolidated budget (comprising the national budget and local budgets) was executed with a deficit of UAH74.3 million… the national budget was executed with a deficit of UAH479.4 million, while the deficit of the budget's general fund was estimated at UAH4.52 billion [The national budget consists of the general fund and the special fund. The latter was executed with a surplus, therefore the deficit of the national budget in general is measured in millions, instead of billions]," reads the report.