Ukrainian Social Policy Minister Natalia Korolevska has said that over UAH 1.5 billion has been allocated for social payments, which will help finance the respective payments until October 2013 inclusive.

"This will ensure 100% of maternity benefits, funeral and recourse payments [are made]," the government's press service quoted her as saying on Thursday.

Korolevska said that the government had also decided to allocate an additional UAH 244 million for the payment of assistance to care for people with disabilities.

As reported, Prime Minister Mykola Azarov said on October 23 that problems in certain sectors of the Ukrainian economy affect the execution of the state budget, but social budget expenditures and the payment of wages would be funded on time and in full.

"In the first nine months of this year, social spending from the general fund of the state budget was funded for more than UAH 213 billion, or 12% more compared to the same period last year. It was guaranteed that this will continue: social budget expenditures and the payment of wages will be definitely funded," Azarov said.