The upcoming elections in Ukraine could cost the state budget at least 20 billion hryvnias. This was the assessment made by the Deputy Chairman of the Central Election Commission, Serhiy Dubovyk, in an interview with RBC-Ukraine.
According to him, the cost of election campaigns has increased significantly compared to previous years. For comparison, the 2019 presidential election cost the budget about 2 billion hryvnias. Now, due to inflation, changing conditions, and additional organizational challenges, the amounts are much higher.
The CEC has estimated that holding parliamentary or local elections could cost 4–5 billion hryvnias. The first round of the presidential election is estimated at 4–5 billion hryvnias, and in the event of a second round, the total amount will increase to 6.5–7 billion hryvnias.
About 70% of all expenses, according to Dubovik, are the salaries of members of district, precinct and territorial election commissions. At the same time, these calculations do not include the expenses of local governments for preparing premises for voting, equipping polling stations and providing logistical support for the electoral process. An additional factor in the increase in expenses may be the expansion of the network of polling stations abroad for Ukrainians who are outside the country.
Taking into account all components, including expenses for presidential, parliamentary, and local elections, the total amount could reach about 20 billion hryvnias.
"If we talk about all three types of elections and take into account the costs of local governments, this is approximately 20 billion hryvnias. This is a conditional, but realistic figure, and it is definitely not less," the deputy chairman of the CEC noted.
The topic of possible elections in Ukraine gained international resonance after the statement of US President Donald Trump, who on December 9 in an interview with Politico stated that the time has come for elections in Ukraine, and accused the country of a lack of democracy. In response, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly stressed his readiness for the electoral process, emphasizing that he is not holding on to the presidential seat.
On December 20, Zelensky also announced that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine is working on preparing the infrastructure for voting abroad so that Ukrainian citizens outside the country can participate in the elections. At the same time, the president stressed that holding elections in the territories temporarily occupied by Russia is impossible.
