KIEV, April 3 - Ukraine may allow imports of one million metric tons of crude oil without imposing duties and taxes to boost production of gasoline at domestic oil refineries, Prime Minister Mykola Azarov said Tuesday.

Azarov made comments in reaction to rapidly increasing gasoline prices throughout Ukraine as five out of six oil refineries are currently out of operation unable to compete with gasoline importers.

“The issue is being discussed to allow tax free imports in order to launch in operation our closed oil refineries,” Azarov wrote in his blog.