During the consideration of the financing of the sector of science and education in 2016 on February 17, Chairperson of the Committee Liliya Hrynevych noted that "cut of the financing of the educational and scientific sector has already entailed dismissal of hundreds of highly-qualified employees."
A part of the funds of the general fund of the state budget, which was channeled for the Education and Science Ministry of Ukraine and the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, in 2014 made up 4.2% and 0.67%, however, in 2016, the share is 2.27% and 0.31% respectively. So the expenditures of the general fund of the state budget for science and education in 2016 were almost halved.
The Chairperson of the Committee said that in such a situation, the Government can make certain corrections, however, it would not be able to double the expenditures for the sector of science and education. Thus, it is necessary to provide real, proper figures to manage to support this sector this year.
Liliya Hrynevych addressed the Secretariat of the Committee and the Ministry of Finance of Ukraine instructing to assist in examination of the law "On financing of political parties" as to the amount allocated for the financing of political parties and the term envisioned for such financing.
The Chairperson of the Committee also drew attention of the meeting participants to the problem of formation of the state budget. She noted that during the elaboration of budget proposals the Ministry of Finance of Ukraine goes beyond the legal framework, breaches articles of the Budget Code of Ukraine and terms of the Laws of Ukraine on scientific and educational sector, unfoundedly amends codes of the budget classification, which creates problems and complicates the distribution of funds and control over their use. The budget process is closed and classified. At the same time, information provided in response to respective requests of the people's deputies / Committee members is usually unfair.
Inobservance of the terms in the budgetary process by the Ministry of Finance of Ukraine lowers the part of the Education and Science Ministry of Ukraine, the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, national field-specific academies of sciences of Ukraine as the major administrators of the budget funds, which endangers the implementation of the state policy in the sector of education and science.
The Verkhovna Rada Committee on Science and Education noted that the state of the financial support of science and education in 2016 does not correspond to contemporary demands of the European legislation, provisions of the effective laws of Ukraine in scientific and educational sectors and ruins the processes in education and science. The Committee has recommended that the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Budget Affairs to amend the draft law "On amendments to Law of Ukraine "On State Budget of Ukraine for 2016" (as to intensification of funding).