KIEV, Oct. 23 – Parliament on Thursday approved a law on amendments to the bill on the national budget for 2009, increasing the deficit by 1.3%, or UAH 401 million, to UAH 31.579 billion.

A total of 235 out of 441 MPs registered in the session hall backed the law.

The law also sets the limits for the state debt as of December 31, 2009, increasing it by 0.2%, to UAH 193.353 billion.

An Interfax-Ukraine correspondent has reported that the deficit of the general fund of the national budget climbed by 4.3%, to UAH 9.645 billion.