WB experts advise boosting deposit guarantee fund five-fold

The concern of the WB experts over the shortage of the fund's assets owes to the fact that not all of Ukrainian banks will be able to survive the current difficult times, and some banks may close, which will essentially harden the burden on the fund. 

The World Bank proposes that the Ukrainian government either extend a loan to the fund, or increase bank contributions. Currently, while entering the fund, banks pay 1% of their capital, and then 0.25% of the sum total of their deposits each six months.  With the current rates and volumes of deposits, banks must pay to the fund UAH 540 million (UAH 7.70 / USD 1) for the first half of 2009.

Last year, the National Bank gave a loan of UAH 1 billion to the deposit guarantee fund, which made it possible to increase the maximal sum of compensation to UAH 150,000. In 2007, the assets of the fund grew by 54%, and in 2008 by 123.7%.  If the World Bank's proposal is approved, the assets of the fund will rise fivefold.