The National Joint-Stock Company "Coal of Ukraine" is initiating a 20-23% increase in coal prices. This was stated by the company's president, Oleksandr Khokhotva, in an interview with "Investgazeta". \n \nIn particular, according to him, "Coal of Ukraine" is initiating a 23% increase in the price of thermal coal and a 20% increase for coking coal. "We have approached the government and provided our price calculations, according to which the cost of coal should on average be increased by more than 20%. In particular, thermal coal by 23%, coking coal by 20%," said Khokhotva. \n \nIn his opinion, in order to ensure the profitability of coal enterprises, the state must stop artificially restraining prices for thermal coal. "All this time the coal industry has been subsidizing the country; today these stereotypes need to be broken," said the president of "Coal of Ukraine". \n \nAccording to Khokhotva, another significant reason for raising coal prices is the increase in prices for goods of the machine-building complex by an average of 35%, which could reduce the number of equipped longwalls. \n \nKhokhotva also noted that the company "Coal of Ukraine" intends to refuse the services of intermediary companies in the sale of coal. "Our approach is this - we do not intend to sell the products of our labor to intermediaries. We will work on the market as producers and sellers of coal," he said. \n \nAccording to Khokhotva, "Coal of Ukraine" plans to create its own coal sales division that will handle matters of coal sales. He added that the company intends to refuse the services of intermediaries in the sale of coal both on the domestic market and on foreign markets. \n \nAs reported, in October 2004 the Cabinet of Ministers created "Coal of Ukraine". \n \nThe Cabinet of Ministers transferred to the company's charter fund 100% of the shares of open joint-stock companies created on the basis of the property of 113 state profitable and potentially profitable coal enterprises. The Cabinet of Ministers also transferred to the charter fund of "Coal of Ukraine" state blocks of shares in 50 coal companies amounting to 37.25-100%. \n \nBased on materials from "Ukrainian News".