REUTERS
Ukrainian First Deputy Finance Minister Oksana Markarova has reported the country's real GDP in 2016 grew by 2.2%.
"We can say today that there was a 2.2% increase in real GDP in Ukraine in 2016," she announced during a public report on the budget for 2016.
According to her, nominal GDP last year was estimated at UAH 2.396 trillion, or US$88.7 billion.
Read alsoUkraine sees 5.1% GDP growth in JanMarkarova also recalled that inflation in 2016 slid to 12.4%, which almost coincided with the ministry's projections.
"Presenting the report for 2016, I'm glad to inform that we returned to growth, and this is a major achievement along with performance in line with and even above some targets [of the budget]," she said.
In her words, the key factors of budget revenue growth were amendments to laws on taxation, including an increase in excise tax and the introduction of a flat tax rate on individual income at 18%.
Read alsoUkraine's finance minister estimates losses from Donbas blockade at 1.3% of GDPShe also said that the government injected UAH 121.3 billion, or $4.48 billion, into defense and security in 2016. This was 1.3 times, or UAH 25.5 billion, up on 2015.
As UNIAN reported earlier, the deficit of the national budget in 2016 was estimated at UAH 70 billion, which was 1.6 times up on previous year's deficit at UAH 45 billion but lower than the maximum level set at UAH 83.694 billion.