KIEV, July 14 – Former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko said her party will sue the government to try to stop a 50% hike in natural gas prices for households scheduled on August 1.

The price hike is the key measure demanded by the International Monetary Fund for approving a $14.9 billion 2.5-year loan to Ukraine at the end of July.

Tymoshenko argued there was “no any reason and no any need” for hiking the gas prices, and said her government has been essentially ignoring the IMF demands and still receiving the money.