Head of the State Space Agency of Ukraine (SSAU) Liubomyr Sabadosh has said that as of July the 2016 national space program has not been financed as foreseen in the law on the 2016 national budget.

"We have not yet received any kopeck this year for the space program from the budget. They have money. The funds are on the treasury account," Sabadosh said in an interview published in the Uriadovy Kurier newspaper on Wednesday.

He recalled that according to the law on the 2016 national budget the financing of the national research and technical space program is approved at UAH 230 million.

Sabadosh links violation of the budget legislation with the complicated procedure for agreeing financing for public agencies.

"The complicated approving procedure at the Economic Development and Trade Ministry and Finance Ministry hinders us [from getting money]," he said, adding that after the government reshuffle the red tape got even worse.

According to the 2016 national budget, UAH 3.4 billion is foreseen for financing of the space sector, including UAH 2.47 billion from the general fund of the budget.

Some UAH 223.6 million is planned to provide for financing of the works under state targeted programs and state orders in the space sector, including the general state targeted research space program, which is 4.5 times more than in 2015 (UAH 49.4 million).

Some UAH 1.85 billion from the general fund or 55.9% of total financing will be sent to fulfill liabilities on credits raised to realize the Cyclone 4 and National Satellite Communications System projects.

The draft document foresees that UAH 925.8 million (27.2% of total financing) will be provided from the special fund to implement state targeted programs on reformation and development of defense and industrial complex, designing and introduction of new technologies, boosting the industrial capacity of the sector facilities to produce defense products.