The Verkhovna Rada has passed a law introducing amendments to the Budget Code regarding programs for support of television and radio companies of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol.

According to an Interfax-Ukraine reporter, the law on amending paragraph 16, Section VI of the final and transitional provisions of the Budget Code was supported by 244 MPs at a plenary meeting of parliament on Thursday, December 7.

The law foresees that, on an exceptional basis, the Cabinet of Ministers may determine the directions for using budget funds for programs supporting television and radio companies that operated on the territory of Crimea and Sevastopol.

"This draft law proposes continuing the practice of providing financial support to television and radio companies that functioned on the territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol and provide information services," the explanatory note to the document says.

Earlier, it was indicated in the final and transitional provisions of the Budget Code that such powers of the Cabinet of Ministers were extended for 2016. The explanatory note also states that, taking into account this situation, almost UAH 39 million was used from the state budget for this purpose in 2016.