The government of Viktor Yanukovych must search for additional or alternative sources to fill this year’s budget, President Victor Yushchenko’s aide, Yan Bernazyuk, told a news conference on Monday, according to the President`s press-office.

When asked to comment on a recent ruling by the Constitutional Court of Ukraine to rescind a few articles of the budget to suspend this year’s social payments, Bernazyuk said: “We believe that …the government should focus its attention on finding money to finance these programs in 2007 and make sure it has enough money in 2008 to guarantee these social benefits.”

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He said the government could use Ukraine’s GDP and industrial growth for this, as well as the money spent by state-run companies on advertising. He added that the government must work hard to implement President Yushchenko’s social agenda and cut spending on state officials, particularly people’s deputies.

Bernazyuk also urged the cabinet of ministers to optimize the existing procedures of state purchases.