Mixed Russian and Ukraine results. (Europe).(coal industry)(Brief Article)

The reform programmes for the Russian coal industry, funded by the World Bank have resulted in a more competitive industry, which requires less government subsidy. Speaking at the 'Confronting Change: Northeast England and the East European Coalfields' conference in Newcastle in November, Dr Alexander Robul, director general of Russia's Reformugol Foundation, said that, owing to the reform programme, the "burden on the federal budget decreased and the share of budget funds within the total coal-sector finance decreased from 70% in 1993 to 10-11% in 2001". He noted that annual coal