With the start of a full-scale war between Russia and our country, the economy of Ukraine experienced a shock. However, summing up the results of the year, it can be noted that our state not only held back the invasion of the enemy on the battlefield, but also kept the country's economy from falling into the abyss.
About this Channel 24 said the head of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Finance, Tax and Customs Policy Danilo Getmantsev. He named the positive and negative results of the year for the Ukrainian economy and said that new things await Ukrainians in 2023.
According to him, the main news for Ukrainians is that the Ukrainian authorities:
- did not increase taxes, did not raise them, as, for example, the United States during the Second World War – increased income tax up to 94%;
“We calculate our revenues on the current tax base. There will be some point changes next year, but they will definitely not be of fundamental importance for all Ukrainians,” he stressed.
- in spite of the war, indexation of pensions was carried out in 2022, and indexation will also be next year ;
- increased social payments to low-income families, veterans, and the disabled. They also increased this year, despite the war. In the same year, the minimum wage was increased by 200 hryvnias in October;
“Yes, it's not much, but remember other countries that were in the same situation as we are – they don't could afford to pay even those obligations that they had. And we serve the entire social program, we pay it without delay, in particular, pensions and assistance to the poor. We hold on and will definitely endure,” Hetmantsev said.
On the achievements of the Ukrainian economy in 2022
In his opinion, the achievement of this year is a Ukrainian miracle in public finance, comparable to our victories at the front.
The MP listed our other achievements:
- The hryvnia is holding up and has no signs of depreciation or any of the terrible consequences that we have seen during other military conflicts;
- our inflation is less than inflation in peaceful Moldova and Turkey. It is about the same as in the Baltic countries;
- we have a stable banking system. Two small banks “fell” during the crisis, they had problems back in peacetime, so today our banking system is super stable;
- deposits are growing despite the war. To mention our previous crises, deposits have always fallen;
- program “Affordable loans 5-7-9%”. This is our victory when, despite the war, we can maintain this program in the form in which it is. 70 billion hryvnias were received by businesses during the war thanks to this program;
- “E Osya” program – supports the construction business and our citizens in cheap mortgage loans;
- “E Robot” program – support start-ups.
Ukraine lost 33% of GDP in 2022
Speaking of defeats, he noted that some decisions that were made this year might not have been made.
For example, the abolition of taxes on fuel, which did not affect the price of fuel in Ukraine. But we have not received money in the state budget. This proposal could have been abandoned at the stage of discussion, and not experimented in the state, – the interlocutor believes.
According to him, if we talk about the big negative consequences for the economy of Ukraine, these are, of course, military actions that cause huge damage to it.
“In fact, we have a 33% loss of GDP. These are huge losses that we will make up for years,” he says.
In his opinion, 2023 is unpredictable.
We are making forecasts, we have adopted a budget for 2023, and it is based on macro indicators. But we must understand that everything depends on the situation at the front, and it is impossible to predict it. he said.
Hetmantsev believes that the shelling of Ukraine's energy infrastructure by the enemy has a great impact on our economy, because there are factories that physically cannot switch to generators. And for those who have switched, production under such conditions becomes unprofitable.
“The main thing that we must understand is that, on the one hand, this winter will be the most difficult in our history – for people, the economy, the state. But after winter, for sure spring will come, and it will be better, because we will adapt and survive the peak of this catastrophe that is in our country today. We will definitely push off from this and begin our recovery,” Daniil Getmantsev emphasized.
Ukraine's Economy: Important
- $32 billion has been mobilized for financial support for Ukraine in 2023. This amount includes aid from the EU and the US.
- The unemployment rate is projected to decline in 2023 and beyond, but will still remain at 20%.
- There are no problems in the energy system will be decided in the coming months, according to the head of the energy committee Andrey Gerus. That is why he advised entrepreneurs to pay attention to gas-fired mini-power plants to provide themselves with electricity.
