The growth rate of commercial output at JSC "Lutsk Automobile Plant" in December 2004 was 113.2 percent. This was reported by the LuAZ press center.\n2241 VAZ automobiles rolled off the plant's assembly line.

The international rating agency Fitch has upgraded Ukraine's long-term rating in national and foreign currency from B+ to BB-. This is reported by "Ukrainian News". \n \nAccording to Fitch's statement, the rating outlook is stable. The agency also confirms Ukraine's short-term rating at the B level.

The adoption of this year's budget and the new subsistence minimum has caused considerable changes in the amounts of social assistance. We were informed about them by the regional main department of labor and social protection of the population.

Analyzing this year's city budget, First Deputy Mayor Sviatoslav Kravchuk noted that the financial year will be very tense. The 30% increase in the 2005 budget compared to last year's occurred only in actual figures due to the growth of wages for public sector employees.

A collective letter from entrepreneur-carriers has been received by Lutsk City Mayor Anton Kryvytskyi with a demand to set new maximum tariffs for travel in route taxis around the city in the amount of UAH 1.50. \n \nThe letter provides the following justification: "The previous maximum tariffs in the amount of UAH 0.

Along with our state's course toward European integration, ties with the countries of the Asian continent are deepening, including with the People's Republic of China.

The Cabinet of Ministers has allowed the Lutsk Automobile Plant (Volyn region) to invest 1,833.7 million hryvnias in production during 2005-2008, reports "Ukrainian News".

Since the beginning of the year, there has been no certainty on the Ukrainian real estate market. Under the new legislation, housing transactions are taxed from 1 to 13 percent. It all depends on how often a person sells real estate during the year.

From January 17, in accordance with the decision of the board of the State Customs Service of Ukraine, the Western Regional Customs, which also included Yahodyn Customs, ceases its operations and will be transformed into Lviv Customs.

\nBankers are gradually recovering from the consequences of last year's political crisis and the outflow of household deposits from banks. It seems that Volyn residents have brought to banks the currency they bought during the period of feverish dollar demand.