Coal Industry Restructuring in Ukraine : The Politics of Coal Mining and Budget Crises

[摘要] Restructuring Ukraine's coalindustry has been even more difficult and politicized thanreforming its electricity and gas industries. Coal reformhas divided Parliament and the government into two camps -one supporting populist policies and the other supportingfiscal realism - and the balance of power between thesecamps has changed frequently. Despite mounting financiallosses, coal miners and managers have blocked attempts torationalize production and employment practices. Thegovernment has, however, managed to close several highlyuneconomic mines. Speeding up mine closures seems to be theonly way to arrest the accumulation of payment arrears -nearly US$4billion (including wages) by mid-1998 -- and ofpayments due for coal supplies - more than US$1.5billion by mid-1998.

[发布机构] World Bank, Washington, DC

[学科分类] 社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

[关键词] COAL INDUSTRY;COAL MINES & MINING;PAYMENTS ARREARS;CREDIT GUARANTEES;OPERATING COSTS