KIEV, June 20 - Ukraine will not hike natural gas prices for households as demanded by the International Monetary Fund because of fear of social unrest, President Viktor Yanukovych said Wednesday.

“Those requirements set by the IMF today, they are unacceptable to us,” Yanukovych said at a meeting with political parties, the presidential press service reported. “We cannot accept this because it can have negative social consequences for the people.”