Finance minister confirms delays in payments on unprotected expenditure items

Ukrainian Finance Minister Serhiy Marchenko has confirmed on Friday there are delays in payments by the State Treasury Service on unprotected expenditure items.

"There was UAH 22 billion (US$773.6 million) in the single treasury account as of this morning. Do you want to ask me if there are delays in payments on unprotected expenses? Yes, there are, but the question is that we have allocated money in full in terms of salaries and pensions," he told a TV panel show on November 26.

Read alsoGovernment again postpones pay rise for Ukrainian educatorsAt the same time, Marchenko stressed there would be enough money in the state budget until the end of the year to pay pensions and salaries to public servants and government employees.

"I categorically tell you, yes [there are enough funds]," he said.

Background

After yesterday's decision of the Cabinet of Ministers to endorse the draft national budget 2021, Marchenko announced the situation with public finances was under control, despite the global crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Thus, he commented on the statement of former First Deputy Economy Minister Pavlo Kukhta that the State Treasury Service had stopped financing budget expenditures.