Ukraine's finance minister warns of possible payroll delays amid funding shortfall
Finance Minister Serhij Marczenko said Ukraine has postponed all non-essential spending and may struggle to pay salaries if parliament does not pass required tax reforms.
During a session of the Supreme Council's finance committee, Finance Minister Serhij Marczenko announced that Ukraine has already deferred all non-priority outlays, keeping only defence and social-policy spending. He warned that if legislators fail to approve legislation required by foreign partners—most notably the European Commission's proposal to tax parcels up to 150 euros—delays in salary disbursements could become a reality.
Marczenko said the austerity measures will affect both the state budget and local budgets, with possible suspension of assistance programmes and capital investments until sufficient liquidity is secured. He added that the government might resort to printing money, a step that would likely trigger hryvnia devaluation and inflation. Such a move could jeopardise Kyiv's relations with international creditors. The minister expressed hope that payrolls will be paid on time to avoid a financial catastrophe.
How the sides frame it
MODERATE AGREEMENTCentrist coverage emphasizes the size of the budget shortfall and the need to prioritize military spending, while right-leaning coverage stresses the minister’s warning that legislative inaction and foreign-partner demands could cause payroll delays and warns of inflation from possible money-printing.
CENTER
Frames the story as a severe budget crisis driven by a $27 bn shortfall that forces the government to prioritize defence and postpone non-war payments.
RIGHT
Frames the story as the finance minister warning that failure of legislators to approve foreign-partner measures could trigger payroll delays and that printing money may spark inflation and currency devaluation.
The right emphasises
- deferred all non-priority outlays
- legislators must approve foreign-partner legislation
- possible money printing leading to inflation and hryvnia devaluation
