KIEV, Nov. 23 – Despite the stringent demand by representatives of the International Monetary Fund that Ukraine raise the price of gas for households before it can get the next tranche of Standby lending, the main issue during its mission's next visit to the country will be the budget deficit and the balance of payments, National Bank of Ukraine Governor Serhiy Arbuzov said.

"This is a rather stringent demand, which IMF representatives have repeatedly made at the negotiations. At the same time, in my opinion, during the IMF mission's next visit to Ukraine, which is scheduled for December, the question will not be whether the fund has changed its opinion on the need to increase tariffs or not. They will most likely raise questions about the state of the budget deficit and the balance of payments, because a drop in prices for natural gas will reduce the burden on the budget, the balance of payments and international reserves," he said in an interview with Segodnya newspaper.