The demographic crisis in Ukraine is getting worse, which serves as evidence of costly mistakes of the government in its economic and social policy. This was stated by MP Serhiy Lovochkin commenting on recent data from the State Statistics Service.

“The demographic situation in Ukraine has been adverse during all 30 years of its independence, but the figures for 2021 might as well be the worst in the decade. The negative trend started well back in 2020, but this year it got stronger,” the politician said.

Lovochkin cited the official data: in the first eight months of 2021, 181,000 babies were born in Ukraine, which is 6 percent fewer than in the same period last year. At the same time, 2020 was the year with the lowest number of newborns in the second decade of the 21st century.

“The situation with death rate is even worse: in the first eight months of 2021, 16 percent more people died compared to the same period last year. These figures are the best evidence of the government’s wrongful economic and social policy,” the MP believes.

He said the decrease of birth rates might have resulted from both lack of economic optimism and weak social support for potential parents, while high mortality rates are caused by low standards of living and poor quality of healthcare.

“That is why our faction’s proposals to the draft state budget-2022 are aimed, first, at strengthening social protection, increasing healthcare funding, and strengthening support for the economy. Without changes in these three areas, our nation will have no future,” Lovochkin said.