The budget committee of the Verkhovna Rada adopted important changes to the draft state budget for 2025

The Budget Committee of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine approved the draft State Budget for 2025 for the second reading, introducing important changes related to the financing of military expenses, community support and other key aspects. This was reported by the head of the committee, People's Deputy Roksolana Pidlas .

Here are the main changes that were proposed:

1. 2 billion dollars from Great Britain for military expenses, in particular for the purchase of weapons, will be directed to cover the deficit in the state budget. These funds are reflected in the special external borrowing fund and are intended for the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.
2. Saving 64% of personal income tax for communities . This decision provides that 4% of personal income tax (except for the military tax) will remain in the communities, which will allow to provide financing for payments for communal services and energy carriers. In this regard, the subvention to regional budgets to cover the difference in tariffs, which amounted to 12.2 billion UAH, is canceled.
3. Front-line communities are exempted from reverse transfer to the state budget. In total, this concerns UAH 593 million, which will allow communities to receive more funds locally.
4. UAH 128 million for Ukrzaliznytsia to co-finance the European railway infrastructure development project. This financing is a necessary condition for receiving European funds for the development of the railway.
5. UAH 277.1 million for the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine . These funds will be directed to research in the military sphere, which is also an important part of the defense budget.
6. In the new version of the budget, the right of political parties to buy military OVDP bonds , which referred to Article 49 of the draft budget, is excluded.
7. The obligation for hospitals to keep funds on accounts in the treasury was also , which will greatly simplify the financing of medical institutions.

These changes still need to be voted on in the Verkhovna Rada hall in the second reading, after which the final decision on the 2025 budget will be made.