Due to the quarantine measures, 600,000 people lost their income sources in Kyiv alone. This means that the budget must provide for bigger social and business support, OPPOSITION PLATFORM – FOR LIFE MP Serhiy Lovochkin told STRANA.UA in an interview. But the proposed amendments to the budget do not include such provisions.

“Regarding the budget amendments, they do not stand up to scrutiny. Our faction cannot support this draft bill in the wording it was presented to the parliament [on Friday, April 10, — ed.],” Lovochkin said.

The MP cited data of 600,000 people who lost their income sources in Kyiv alone, all employed in service and office jobs.

“Other cities face the same situation. Experts say we will need from two to three years to get back to the last year’s level. But the only positive thing in the new budget amendments is additional funding for healthcare. Otherwise they are all about cutting social expenses and regional development in favor of payments on external debts,” Lovochkin said.

“Under current crisis conditions, we must do just the opposite: hold talks on restructuring the national debt and spend the saved amounts of money on support for citizens. The much-talked about 1,000 hryvnia ($37) of additional payments for retirees is not protection; much bigger sums are needed,” the MP added.

As reported, OPPOSITION PLATFORM – FOR LIFE has drafted an Anti-crisis plan of decisive and consecutive measures on fighting the spread of the coronavirus, comprehensive social protection for Ukrainian citizens, and support for the national economy.