The Ministry of Economy and European Integration has drafted a bill on amending the law "On Prices and Pricing," which envisages granting the Cabinet of Ministers the right to impose a moratorium on price increases for strategic goods. This is stated in the draft law developed by the Ministry of Economy, reports "Ukrainian News." \n \nIn particular, the draft law expands the government's powers in the sphere of pricing, granting it the right, in agreement with the Verkhovna Rada, to establish a moratorium on price increases for resources that have a decisive influence on the general level and dynamics of prices, as well as for goods and services of decisive social importance. \n \nAccording to the draft law, income received by a business entity as a result of violating the terms of the moratorium will be directed to the state budget with simultaneous collection of a fine in the amount of double the unjustifiably received income. \n \nRecall that last Friday the Verkhovna Rada instructed the Cabinet of Ministers to develop amendments to the laws of Ukraine to establish a moratorium on price increases on the domestic market for goods of industrial-household production, fixing prices at the level of November 30, 2004. \n \nOn Thursday, acting Prime Minister Mykola Azarov instructed the Ministry of Economy, together with the tax administration, Customs, the Antimonopoly Committee and local authorities, to analyze the price level for basic industrial goods and, in the event of their unjustified increase, to take measures to curb such price growth. \n \nSince the beginning of December, a number of mining enterprises in Ukraine have begun holding back supplies of iron ore raw materials to metallurgists, stating that supplies in the necessary volumes can be resumed only after prices for raw materials are raised. \n \nIn particular, supplies sharply decreased to the "Zaporizhstal" plant, the Illich Iron and Steel Works, and the Alchevsk and Dniprovsky metallurgical plants. \n \nAs of December 1, "Sukha Balka" and the Northern Mining and Processing Plant raised prices for their products (agglomerate ore and pellets) by 33.8% and 17.5%, respectively. \n