The remainder of funds allocated to provide housing and utilities subsidies to citizens could be used to replenish the energy efficiency fund which could be created in 2016, Deputy Prime Minister, Regional Development, Construction, Housing and Utilities Economy Minister of Ukraine Hennadiy Zubko has said.

"We want to send the remainder of the funds allocated to provide subsidies to households to finance the energy efficiency fund," he said at a press conference in Kyiv on February 4.

He said that in 2015, UAH 18 billion of housing and utilities subsidies were allocated to households, and UAH 34 billion is foreseen the purpose in 2016.

He also said that the Regional Development, Construction, Housing and Utilities Economy Minist ry with support of the German government and the European Union (EU) has drawn up a financial model of the energy efficiency fund. He said that Germany and the EU are ready to provide assistance in drawing up the legislation base and attracting donors to have the model operating.

"The EU has expressed its desire to participate in the programme and the German government has said that it is ready to provide assistance to Ukraine," he said.

Zubko said that the top-priority in the operation of the state regional development fund in 2016 will be energy saving and energy efficiency projects in the Ukrainian infrastructure sector.

"The top-priority of the state regional development fund today is energy efficiency. This year UAH 3 billion of budget funds is provided to the fund, as well as UAH 1 billion to support united territorial communities and UAH 1.9 billion from the budget for social and economic development and the top-priority for them is energy efficiency," the minister said.