The Government has developed a draft budget, which envisages increasing of expenditures on science by UAH 1.8 billion (+ 18.2%) compared to 2020.

Deputy Minister of Finance Roman Yermolychev has said about this in the op-ed for 24tv.

"In the draft State Budget for next year, the total expenditures on scientific and scientific-technical activities will amount to almost UAH 12 billion. Of these, UAH 9.2 billion is directed to the general fund of the state budget, and UAH 2.8 billion - to the special fund," Roman Yermolychev noted.

According to the Deputy Minister, when determining the amount of funding for this sphere, first of all, they tried to strengthen the tools of technological development of the state.

"Among the budget markers, I would like to note the increasing of grant support for scientific and scientific-technical projects through the National Research Foundation of Ukraine and the introduction of the grant principle of research funding to branch scientific institutions. About 73% of overall funding was allocated to the National Academy of Sciences and national branch academies of sciences," said Roman Yermolychev.

He noted that the issue of Ukrainian Antarctic research funding is fundamental.

"UAH 128.5 million was allocated in the draft Budget-2021 for studying the environment of the Antarctic region, to ensure the living conditions and activities of our expedition at the "Akademik Vernadsky" station. UAH 479.2 million was allocated for expenditures on scientific institutions of the National Academy of Sciences, including laboratories of young scientists of the Academy. I hope that the parliamentarians will finally approve these and other scientific expenditures," the Deputy Minister of Finance summed up.