War budget makes up three-quarters of Ukraine's budget - Finance Minister
Ukraine's monthly expenses during the war exceed UAH 200 billion, the lion's share of the funds goes to the army and military needs, while the budget receives UAH 54-56 billion from taxes, Finance Minister Serhiy Marchenko said.
"The war budget makes up three-quarters of the entire budget of Ukraine, so we spend about the same amount," he said in an interview with mind.ua.
Marchenko specified that in April state budget expenditures amounted to UAH 206 billion, of which payments for internally displaced persons and food programs amounted to about UAH 14–15 billion.
"In May, the figure will be higher - somewhere around UAH 16-17 billion. If we talk about spending on social protection, on average, it is UAH 34 billion, on education and medicine - UAH 31 billion, wages in the public sector - UAH 5 billion," the minister explained.
He added that the government had already reduced state budget expenditures by UAH 180 billion: capital expenditures were almost completely reduced - UAH 72 billion, wages for employees of budgetary institutions were reduced by UAH 20 billion, social security spending - by UAH 22 billion, others expenses - by UAH 40 billion.
"There is nowhere to cut further," Marchenko stated.
Speaking about the possible costs of restoration, he said that so far we can only talk about the critical infrastructure of the de-occupied territories.
"And we should talk about a broad renewal, including with our partners, probably after the victory. Of course, we are talking about this today, but the program can start only when hostilities cease on our territory," the minister said.
In his opinion, there are currently no opportunities to support business in the budget at the expense of the state, except for creating conditions for concessional lending.