“Ukraine has no money to raise military salaries even by €200,” – MP

There are no funds in the Ukrainian budget now to increase the salaries of the military even by 10,000 hryvnias, that is, about 208 euros.

This was stated by People’s Deputy from the Servant of the People faction Bohdan Kitsak.

As the program host in the studio noted, even the indicated minimal salary increase for the military, whose number is about 800,000, would require 8 billion hryvnias (166 million euros) per month, and about 100 billion (2.1 billion euros) per year.

Kitsak remarked that this is technically difficult to implement.

“Even if we now conduct a sequestration (that is, a reduction of the expenditure side — Ed.) of all domestic programs that are financed but have not proven their effectiveness, we will not gather this amount. If we implement the initiative of fixed salaries for officials, for example, at the level of 80,000 hryvnias, this will give several billion for the year. If we shut down the notorious telemarathon, this will give 2–3 billion per year. If we cut some more expenses, then possibly we will save 20–30 billion. But will this make it possible to cover the starting 10,000-hryvnia increase, so that the salary of servicemen is not 20, but 30 thousand? No, this amount is insufficient,” the deputy said.

He added that the de-shadowing of the economy, and changes in customs and the tax service, which have been talked about for many years, will not give any effect.

Let us recall that the authorities want to increase the military expenditures of the Ukrainian budget at the expense of the European Union, but it has not yet given its consent to this.