INFLATION RISES IN UKRAINE. The Economics Ministry told Interfax on 10 July that inflation in Ukraine will total 25- 29 percent in 2000, up from 19.2 percent in 1999 and 20 percent in 1998. The government had predicted that inflation this year would not exceed 19 percent. In response, Ukrainian Prime Minister Viktor Yushchenko said the situation should not be overdramatized and stressed that the government has inflation completely under control. Inflation rose 3.7 percent in June alone, but Yushchenko said that he is convinced it will fall significantly in July and succeeding months. PG

UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT URGES PARLIAMENT TO PASS CRUCIAL LEGISLATION. President Leonid Kuchma met with parliamentary deputies on 10 July to urge them to pass key legislation, including the tax and budget codes, before adjourning this week for the summer recess, Interfax reported. PG

STORMS FORCE SHUTDOWN OF CHORNOBYL REACTOR. Heavy rainstorms forced the Ukrainian authorities to shut down Chornobyl's only functioning reactor on 10 July, according to Reuters. Two people have been killed and 10 injured, while damage to property exceeds 340 million hryvni ($62.7 million) as a result of flooding across much of Ukraine, AP reported. PG