OREANDA-NEWS. December 22, 2011. The Government has considered and approved a conservative, but balanced and realistic draft state budget for 2012.

"The adjusted macroeconomic forecasts take into account the results of consultations with representatives of the international community. Thanks to focus on the development, Ukraine retains a moderate level of growth in GDP, while economic growth rate closest European neighbours are reduced," the Minister of Finance Fedir Yaroshenko said, introducing the draft. He emphasized that by the conservative scenario, the adjusted GDP growth in 2012 would be 3.9% and nominal GDP will constitute 1.5 trillion UAH.

Furthermore, the Minister stressed that the consolidated budget expenditures in 2012 would amount to 461.7 billion UAH.

Yaroshenko pointed out that, compared with the budget 2011, budget expenditures would increase by 35 billion.

However, the Finance Minister added that the cost of living compared to 2011 year, for 1 person, would increase by 128 UAH, which is almost twice exceeds the growth rate of consumer prices.

According to Fedir Yaroshenko, the draft budget 2012 also provides for a 20-percent surcharge to the base official salary for all teachers.

It will also be introduced payments for medical and pharmaceutical workers to health improvement.

"For pensioners, it will be increase the minimum pension benefits on average by 10%, 20-30%, it will be increase in average pensions, it will be increase benefits for disabled veterans, children of war, participants of war fighting, payments will increase by almost half for Chernobyl victims. Thus, for the first time, the calculation of the guaranteed minimum pension benefits to disabled liquidators are tied to the size and cost of living and there are doubled," Yaroshenko said.

However, he noted that the draft budget envisages increased investment resources of the country at the expense of reducing the tax burden on entrepreneurs.

"Along with support of social vector of the budget, next year, it will be essential focus to creation of conditions for stimulating the development of the real economy. Resource investment from tax indulgences will be amount to over 45 billion UAH. The total resource which in 2012 will be referred to support of the real sector of economy, will reach over 120 billion UAH," Fedir Yaroshenko summed up.