The Verkhovna Rada adopted at the first reading the draft state budget for 2022.

Bill No. 6000 was supported by 264 MPs with the required 226 votes.

The parliament in its budgetary conclusions recommended that the government in the bill for the second reading increases the receipts of the general fund of the state budget for the next year by UAH 6.5 billion by increasing the expected receipts from value added tax (VAT) on imports. In addition, the parliament recommended providing a subvention from the state budget to local budgets to fight the pandemic and its consequences during the educational process in schools – UAH 1 billion, as well as – to finance the Drinking Water of Ukraine program for 2022-2026 in the amount of UAH 1 billion.

Another UAH 1.5 billion, MPs propose to provide as subventions to local communities for the purchase of equipment for catering units in schools.

As reported, budget receipts for 2022 in the bill submitted to the Verkhovna Rada by the government were set at UAH 1.277 trillion, which is UAH 161 billion higher than the planned indicators of the state budget for 2021. Expenditures are proposed to be set in the amount of UAH 1.465 trillion (UAH 103 billion more to the planned indicator of the state budget 2021).

At the same time, it is proposed to lay the state budget deficit at 3.5% of GDP compared to 5.5% in the 2021 state budget, the minister added.

The draft state budget 2022 is built, as indicated in the Budget Declaration, based on the forecast of nominal GDP growth to UAH 5.368 trillion, real GDP growth by 3.8%, the hryvnia-to-dollar exchange rate corridor at the end of the year is UAH 28.60-28.70/$1.