OREANDA-NEWS. September 09, 2008. Beginning 1 January the Government will completely finance a contract army. Prime Minister of Ukraine Yulia Tymoshenko disclosed this at a press conference devoted to debate of the 2009 State Budget indices with representatives of the Ministry of Industrial Policy, Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry of Emergencies and National Space Agency of Ukraine.

Yulia Tymoshenko informed that the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, most likely, to support the decision about total-lot transfer to a contract army beginning already 1 January. In this connection the PM addressed the representatives of force and financial ministries to obligatory work through and to take into account in the 2009 budget bill funds for financing all programs envisaged for transfer to the contract army.

The Premier also noted that today there are all conditions to consider “budget process will be successful and the country will have the budget ensuring further carrying out of strategic reforms in Ukraine”.

Besides during the meeting Minister of Finance Viktor Pynzenyk informed that the Ministry had already worked out proposals which provide a differentiated change of cash security in force departments. In particular, according to the Minister, different advance of wages is suggested for reducing disproportion of every category. So, if junior officers of different ministries have a twofold wages gap today, due to our proposals in 2009 it will make up 1,49.