The acting government of Ukraine continues its policy of allocating insufficient funds for budget expenses in order to conceal the real budget deficit. This was stated by OPPOSITION PLATFORM — FOR LIFE MP Serhiy Lovochkin commenting on budget performance in the first six months of 2019.

The politician said that the treasury reports for January – June 2019 read that the general fund expenses had been financed by 8.5 percent or by 42.7bln hryvnia less than planned for the period.

All groups of expenses are behind schedule, Lovochkin said. The following sectors see the lowest budget spending rate: economy support (underfinanced by 38 percent or 5.4bln hryvnia), culture (-24 percent or 1.5bln hryvnia), healthcare (-24 percent or 4.5bln hryvnia), education (-14 percent or 2.7bln hryvnia), and defense (-7 percent or 3.3bln hryvnia).

Transfers to local budgets had also been behind schedule (by -3 percent or 4.8bln hryvnia). These include mostly funds for social payments, education services, and local infrastructure.

“The government scrimps on kids, disabled persons, veterans, and the citizens’ health, but never forgets to fund its own expenses. This has been the essence of the previous five years’ policy,” Lovochkin said.

“I am certain the new government must have different priorities. Social expenses and economy support programs should be put to the top of the budget expenses list and enshrine it in the laws. If the government expenses are the last item on that list, then the administration will do its best to execute the budget in full,” the MP said.