MP Dmytro Razumkov criticised the Cabinet of Ministers over preparations for the heating season, budgetary priorities and officials’ salaries. He stated that government officials had failed to answer Parliament’s questions regarding energy and the budget, questioned the wisdom of exporting gas and electricity, and reiterated his proposal to cap the salaries of public sector executives.
Briefly about the main points
- Razumkov stated that MPs had not received any responses from the government regarding the budget and energy.
- The MP raised doubts about gas and electricity exports ahead of winter.
- Razumkov spoke out against cuts to the ranks of ordinary civil servants whilst supervisory boards receive bonuses.
- The salary cap set out in the amendment to Bill No. 8312 has not yet come into force.
Criticism of the government and issues relating to energy exports
According to Razumkova, representatives Cabinet of Ministers left the chamber following an air-raid alert, whilst the Minister of Finance Sergey Marchenko did not return in time for the report. The MP stated that, as a result, MPs were unable to put questions to government ministers regarding the budget and energy.
Razumkov questioned the wisdom of exporting gas ahead of the heating season. In his view, this poses risks to the supply of gas to the public, businesses, schools and hospitals during the winter. The MP also spoke out against the sale of electricity abroad whilst power cuts were taking place in Ukraine.
Cuts to the civil service and a pay cap
Separately, Razumkov criticised the approach to budgetary savings. He stated that thousands of rank-and-file civil servants are at risk of redundancy, whilst members of supervisory boards receive significantly higher remuneration. As evidence, the MP cited payments ranging from 300,000 to 700,000 hryvnias and above.
The MP’s initiative relates to Amendment No. 48 to Bill No. 8312. It provided for the reinstatement of additional remuneration for military personnel, police officers and civil defence service staff, as well as a cap on the remuneration of officials and senior management at state-owned enterprises at ten times the minimum wage.
Razumkov called on his colleagues to support this approach. The figure of 86,000 hryvnias he mentioned is a guideline for the proposed cap, not a fixed salary for all officials. Parliament adopted the bill on 10 April 2023; however, in the Verkhovna Rada’s database, its status is listed as «Awaiting signature». Therefore, the proposed limit is not yet in force.
