OREANDA-NEWS. March 25, 2015. He informed excise taxes had increased by 43%, VAT – by 37%: "The Customs has also demonstrated an increase - additional 30%".

"We have lost a quarter of the Ukrainian economy. Because of the war waged by Russia, closure of hundreds of enterprises. At that, we have managed to collect more taxes as compared to last year," he said.

Arseniy Yatsenyuk reminded that the funds obtained by Ukraine as an IMF loan worth USD 25 billion, "aren't directed to welfare payments and funding the defense": "Certain part goes to repay foreign debts, and the remainder - to replenish foreign exchange reserves of the National Bank to stabilize the situation."

Due to the fact the funds to settle foreign obligations of Ukraine were received at the account of the IMF loan, he stressed: "The revenues we receive into the budget aren’t sent  to repay the debt, but to finance the army, salaries, pensions, social payments".

Arseniy Yatsenyuk emphasized that "there hasn’t been any delay with social payments and it will further be this way": "I understand the level of welfare payments does not meet the needs of people. I understand that they need more. But the more we earn, the more we spend to social benefits, guarantees and assistance to the indigent, first of all".