The draft 2020 Budget contains as a separate item for benefits and subsidies UAH 47 628,6 million. This amount will be sufficient to meet the needs of all categories of population who will need public assistance to pay for utilities.

Minister of Social Policy of Ukraine Yulia Sokolovska announced on her official Facebook page.

It is worth reminding that earlier media published information about the cutting of subsidy expenditures, which allegedly would entail the reduction in the number of recipients in the new heating season. Minister Yulia Sokolovska noted that this information fails to comply with the facts and appears the result of misinterpretation of the data.

According to the Minister, subsidy expenditures have been revised in the current year, and in the State Budget 2019 the sum worth UAH 47 billion is planned, being considered as sufficient financing. "In fact, no reduction is planned. The Government is not going to deny the recipients of subsidies!" emphasized Yulia Sokolovska.

"Compared to the figures planned in this year's budget (UAH 55.1 billion), the included UAH 47.6 billion is actually a smaller sum. But this reduction was caused solely by economic factors: as a result of indexation of pensions, increases in the minimum wage and the subsistence minimum, the incomes of Ukrainians increased. Accordingly, the amount of Government subsidies paid to citizens was also cut. Therefore, I reiterate: "reducing" expenditures will not entail the reduction in the number of beneficiaries!" stressed Yulia Sokolovska.