The OPPOSITION BLOC party developed an alternative version of the draft state budget for 2017. Despite violations of opposition rights in the parliament and lack of opportunities to defend our bills, as they are simply not considered in the Rada session hall by the coalition factions, we are going to publicly present our draft state budget for 2017. It will include wages and pensions, regional development programs, sufficient funding for education and science, support for domestic producers. We hope that they (the authorities - editors) will study our budget and realize what needs to be done in 2017,” Serhiy Lovochkin said.

He emphasized that the draft budget for 2017 developed by the Cabinet of Ministers did not suit the Opposition bloc at all. According to Serhiy Lovochkin, prior to discussing the 2017 budget, the government should amend the current budget. “Instead of making amendments to the 2016 state budget and giving people the hidden revenues, the government offers to talk about the budget for 2017,” the MP said. The politician also noted that the government was not interested in how people would survive this year with new utility tariffs and lack of funding for subsidies.

“We are against such an approach, we demand to revise this year’s budget, to raise wages and pensions and cover subsidies to offset the difference in the increased utility tariffs. We also demand that the government reduce prices and tariffs. People with the current level of wages cannot afford to pay such utility tariffs,” Serhiy Lovochkin stressed.

The policy maker also noted that the government presented the situation to the people as follows: either we live poorly, but in a democracy, or we do not live in a democracy. “It's not fair, it is not the right alternative. Freedom and democracy must accompany decent standards of living, people should be able to buy clothes and food, pay fair utility tariffs and enjoy freedom of speech. Despite the fact that the government says they are democrats, the rights of the opposition are violated, the pressure on the opposition and the media grows and all of this occurs in modern Ukraine,” Serhiy Lovochkin summed up.