Inflation in Ukraine could be 15% in 2011, financial expert and former head of the financial services commission, Viktor Suslov forecasted at a press conference.

"Against the background of the dollar decline, there is a very dangerous inflation worldwide, with increasing prices of gold and raw materials. As you know, our national currency is pegged to the dollar, so it will be depreciated the same way. That is why the National Bank recently increased its inflation forecast to 12%, and experts predict that this figure will be at least 15%," he said.

On top Suslov added that "the hryvnia is even more vulnerable than the dollar and euro."

Bleyzer Foundation Executive Director Oleg Ustenko said that in the short term the hryvnia exchange rate could fall to 8.3 UAH / 1 USD.

ukrinform.ua

Consumer prices rose by 5.9 percent in Ukraine in January-June 2011.