Next year’s defense budget to become largest-ever - minister

This was stated by Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov during a Q&A session in the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine’s parliament, on Friday, December 3, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"I thank the parliament for taking into account the proposals put forward by the Ministry of Defense ahead of the state budget’s second reading. Expenditures increased by UAH 2.5 billion compared to first reading. This will guarantee rhythmic payments to people and their certain increase. Together with state guarantees, the funding for the Ministry of Defense will amount to over UAH 148 billion. This is the largest defense budget in the history of independent Ukraine," said the minister.

He stressed that the ministry is working to increase financial support for servicemen, which will be accompanied by a change in the approach to personnel work: "The basic rate of financial support will be tied to military ranks. At the same time, staff positions will be reviewed so that colonels don’t have to do the work that is supposed to be done by lieutenants or captains. We will gradually increase money supply to make military pay competitive in the economy as a whole. Our goal is a fair, clear system that will attract the best of us," Reznikov stressed.

The top defense official also noted that one of the priority measures is to build an effective transparent procurement system: “We plan to create in the Ministry of Defense an analog of the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA). Structurally, it will contain a part that will procure goods, works and services for defense purposes. And also there’ll be a part responsible for the provision of food, fuel, material support, and other things,” emphasized Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov.

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