The budget lacks 300 billion for military salaries: where to get the money

The 2025 State Budget lacks about 300 billion hryvnias for military salaries. The authorities hope that the European Commission will allow the use of European support money for defense needs to cover the deficit, but it is also necessary to significantly cut “unnecessary expenses” such as “marathons and cashbacks.”

This was stated on the air of “Pryamoy” by Rostyslav Pavlenko, a member of parliament from the “European Solidarity” faction.

“We see that the authorities step on the same rake every year. And this figure of 300, it simply haunts. Now 300 billion, as European Solidarity warned, is not enough by the end of the year. Before that, we also had to add money to the budget in the summer, so these 300 billion will not be enough next year either. So European Solidarity has already submitted its proposals. And the budget committee, I really hope, will take them into account when forming positions to the Ministry of Finance… I really want to hope that this time the government will somehow hear the voice of reason and do everything for next year,” Pavlenko noted.

At the same time, according to him, the authorities expect that the European Commission will allow the use of European support money for defense needs to cover the deficit in 2025, but it is also necessary to cut “unnecessary expenses.”

“We see that there is a problem already this year. And for that, if we hope that the Europeans should allow something, or someone should give us a loan or something, then we definitely have to demonstrate in the Verkhovna Rada that we are ready for clear steps. And what are these steps? First, cut all unnecessary expenses – all these “marathons” and “cash backs”. There are billions and billions. Secondly, representatives of the authorities say that there are tens of billions of uncollected “feeders” from the so-called gambling business, from various tobacco schemes,” the People’s Deputy explains.

“European Solidarity” constantly emphasizes this. We constantly submit legislative acts about this. And when we saw that the head of the budget committee from the “servants” recognized this problem, we say, yes, it was possible to pay attention two months ago, make a decision and not know the grief. But they know everything themselves, they don’t need anyone. Now they have run into a problem at full speed. Therefore, there will be a very tough discussion about this in parliament. I just wish that such a voice of reason would be heard again. And this tough discussion would end with a decision, not a show of hands,” the people’s representative from “European Solidarity” summed up.

Recall that the State Budget expenditures in the security and defense sector will be increased by about 300 billion hryvnias this year. The Ministry of Finance is currently preparing a draft law, and it must be voted on as a whole by November 1 so that there are no delays in payments to military personnel .

According to Roksolana Pidlasa, head of the parliamentary budget committee, to cover these expenses, Ukraine has asked the European Commission to allow it to use European support money for defense needs.

In addition, the formation of the State Budget for the next year is currently underway in Ukraine. The document is currently under consideration by various parliamentary committees, which are making their proposals to the draft estimate. State Budget expenditures are planned at 4.8 trillion hryvnias, almost half of which requires external financing.

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