REUTERS
The new budget draft envisages a slight reduction in spending on road construction and repairs.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal has said the Cabinet of Ministers plans to additionally allocate almost UAH 20 billion (US$738 million) for pensions in a draft designed to amend the 2020 national budget to address coronavirus challenges in the country.
Read alsoAverage pension in Ukraine grows by 16.5% in 2019 – PFU
In particular, the document provides for an increase in pension spending by almost UAH 20 billion from UAH 172.6 billion (US$6.4 billion) to UAH 192.3 billion (US$7.1 billion), he said on Telegram on April 7.
In addition, the budget draft envisages a slight reduction in spending on road construction and repairs (from UAH 71.9 billion to UAH 70.8 billion/US$2.7 billion to US$2.6 billion) and in expenses of the Ministry of Economic Development, Trade and Agriculture (from UAH 18.1 billion to UAH 17.2 billion/US$667.9 million to US$634.7 million).
"We hope that the Verkhovna Rada [Ukraine's parliament] will meet and support our proposals as soon as possible," he added.
As UNIAN reported earlier, Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers adopted a resolution to increase pensions and provide social support to certain categories of citizens. In particular, UAH 500 (US$18.45) will be paid every month starting from April 2020 to each pensioner older than 80 if their retirement benefit does not exceed UAH 9,205 (US$340).
The government's resolution also provides for the indexation of pensions by 11% for 7 million pensioners in May 2020.
Moreover, UAH 1,000 (US$36.90) will be paid in April 2020 as a lump sum to each pensioner receiving retirement benefits less than UAH 5,000 (US$185) as of April 1, 2020.