Ukrainian parliament approves economic reform programme

KIEV (Reuters) - Ukraine's parliament on Thursday approved the new government's economic programme of tough reforms aimed at securing billions of dollars in financial aid from the International Monetary Fund and other backers.

The programme, outlined by Prime Minister Arseny Yatseniuk, includes overhauling the tax system, raising energy tariffs and privatising state firms in a bid to root out corruption that has helped push Ukraine to the brink of bankruptcy.