The Ukrainian government will spend 43 percent of the 2023 general state budget on defense and security, as decided Thursday by the Verkhovna Rada — the parliament — or in other words, 1.3 billion grivnas (35.9 million euros).
The Ukrainian Prime Minister, Denis Shmigal, thanked the deputies for having given their approval to a budget bill which aims at winning the war launched by Russia eight months ago.
For Shmigal these budgets are part of the Ukrainian people’s efforts to achieve victory and with that «philosophy» they voted for them. «I thank the deputies for their constructive and statesmanlike approach to this vote,» as well as the other officials of the Ministry of Finance, he has celebrated.
«Social security is the second priority. Pensions, assistance to internally displaced persons, subsidies, medicine and education,» he has said. In total, more than 30 percent of budgets valued at 2.6 billion grivnas (72 million euros) and in which GDP growth of up to 3.2 percent and inflation of 28 percent is expected.
«We expect to close with a deficit of $38 billion mainly thanks to the support of our international partners. In particular, the European Union, the United States and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). We will win and rebuild our country,» the Ukrainian prime minister has confided.
Shmigal assured that despite the war, the Government does not plan to increase taxes, but to reduce the expenses of the state apparatus by more than 10 billion grivnas (about 277 million euros).
