Census in Ukraine may be postponed

"There are several scenarios for implementation. In particular, Dmytro Dubilet [ex-minister of the Cabinet of Ministers] suggested conducting a digital census. This idea also has the right to exist. But the classic census, about which demographers and sociologists talk, should be carried out. I cannot say whether the state is ready to spend money on it [classic census] at least this year. Besides, its preparation cycle is long enough," Minister of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine Oleh Nemchinov said in an interview with the UA-Times online media outlet.

The minister is convinced that a "window of opportunity" for carrying out the census in the near future has already been missed. "In order to conduct a census in 2020, even in 2021, we would have to start this process in March," the official stressed.

At the same time, Nemchinov said that he had talked with Chairman of the State Statistics Service of Ukraine Ihor Verner and was convinced that the test estimate of the population size had been carried out "with sufficient quality and on the interesting basis". At the same time, Nemchinov added that the error was significant enough, though within the statistical spread.

"That is, the estimate of the existing population was carried out well enough. This does not remove the issue of a comprehensive population census. These are the requirements of the United Nations. This is a requirement of the ruling party," the minister noted.

Earlier it was reported that the census would cost the state UAH 3-4 billion. According to the results of the trial (test) census conducted by the Government of Ukraine, 37 million 289 thousand people lived in Ukraine as of December 1, 2019.

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