KIEV, Sept. 24 - Prime Minister Yuriy Yekhanurov criticized two key members of the previous government Saturday for allowing the rampant increases in social spending that had apparently played a role in stalling economic growth this year.

Yekhanurov, at a first meeting of government since his approval as the prime minister, slammed Economy Minister Serhiy Teriokhin and Finance Minister Viktor Pynzenyk for not resisting enough to a populist policy.