Price rises

This post from the Financial Times confirms what we have been feeling here on the ground:

Ukraine's government faces mounting difficulties coping with the impact of the recent raising of gas prices by Russia, amid signs of growing inflation and declining economic growth.

Official figures published on Friday showed consumer prices had risen 3 per cent in the first two months of 2006 - an
annualised rate of 19 per cent. Earlier data showed weak GDP growth in January of 0.9 per cent.

We have been noticing a rise in prices. A rate of close to 20% a year would be disastrous for people here. Just another little fact that argues that the present administration's efforts have been mighty disappointing. So much power early on to do something, so much promise--most of it squandered. And what is left is rising prices and inflation.

Yanukovych has to do nothing but point up at the scoreboard.