Ukrainians will pay for everything: under IMF pressure, authorities are preparing a new tax offensive on citizens

Ukraine’s Ministry of Finance has officially pledged to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that it will soon increase the tax burden on the population.

This is stated in a new memorandum signed with the IMF.

The document confirms that the government plans to implement a series of fiscal measures that could significantly worsen the economic situation for millions of Ukrainians.

Among the proposed initiatives is the introduction of a tax on online marketplaces, which would primarily affect small businesses and ordinary citizens who sell items on platforms like OLX. An excise tax on sweetened and carbonated beverages is also planned, which would increase prices even for basic goods. The authorities further promise to “improve” the system of tax debt collection — a move that may result in harsher penalties for those unable to pay taxes on time amid ongoing economic instability.

Of particular concern is the potential transition to a progressive income tax scale. Though presented under the guise of “fairness,” it may ultimately mean higher taxes for working citizens. Currently, the personal income tax rate stands at 18%, but the government is considering increases for various categories of the population.

Additionally, the simplified tax system — previously a lifeline for small and medium-sized businesses — will be reformed in a way that significantly narrows its availability. This change threatens the survival of thousands of entrepreneurs who have relied on this system as their last opportunity to operate amid war and economic crisis.

According to the memorandum, once the war ends, Ukrainians will face yet another challenge — further increases in utility tariffs. Despite recent hikes in 2023 and 2024, the IMF insists that gas and electricity prices remain “non-market-based,” meaning prices for essential services will continue to rise — even in peacetime, when most people will have few resources left for recovery.

Thus, under the guise of reforms and “international commitments,” Ukrainian authorities continue to adopt decisions that worsen the plight of ordinary people, shifting the burden of the country’s economic survival onto their shoulders.