Parliament disrupted voting on documents crucial for the budget
The Verkhovna Rada did not support five bills in one day that depend on the influx of funds from international partners. Such money is needed by Ukraine for defense, the functioning of government bodies, and payments to citizens. President Volodymyr Zelensky stated this in his address. According to him, three of the rejected documents could have brought in more than four billion dollars, and two others were related to the IMF program.
Zelensky reminded that this year Ukraine expects 30 billion dollars in external financing. Half of this amount is to be provided by the government: the cabinet of ministers is obliged to make 44 decisions by November 1. The second half depends on the bills brought to the deputies' vote. The president also reported that the 27 billion dollar deficit is covered through the Ministry of Defense.
Moreover, the head of state announced the submission of bills to the Rada to tighten criminal liability for organizers of fraudulent call centers. He promised to send them to parliamentarians by the next morning.
“We need to think about defense, not elections”
The president emphasized that the expected funds are not the money of the government or the opposition: there cannot be separate salaries for teachers from different factions in Ukraine. He acknowledged that decisions may be difficult, unpleasant, and unpopular, but they must be made. Zelensky described the situation as unfair when deputies speak a lot about the European path but vote against the corresponding decisions.
“The beginning of autumn in the conditions of such a war is an opportunity to complete everything necessary for winter,” said Volodymyr Zelensky.
He also addressed those who are already thinking about elections, ratings, and personal political gain: right now, we need to think only about the defense of the country, the operation of the state, and payments to people, while elections should be postponed until the end of the war. Delaying the adoption of laws directly threatens Ukraine's financial stability, so coordinated work between the parliament and the government remains critically important to maintain international support.