KIEV, Dec. 2 - Parliament on Thursday approved a government bill to increase natural gas production royalties by 18.5% starting early next year, Parliament’s press service reported.

The royalties on extraction of natural gas are to be increased to 237 hryvnias ($29.6) per 1,000 cu m of gas extracted from the depth of less than 5,000 meters, up from the current 200 hryvnias per 1,000 cu m.