European Solidarity: Kyiv City Council Budget Commission rejects financial aid for residents, utility workers

The Budget Commission of Kyiv City Council has blocked the decision on allocating financial assistance to vulnerable categories of residents who are suffering the most from the consequences of the energy disaster; it was stated on Thursday on the website of the European Solidarity party, which had previously initiated the relevant decision.

"Today, the European Solidarity faction's initiative was put forward to support vulnerable segments of the population in providing them with additional financial assistance. Unfortunately, we were unable to overcome the political confrontation during the budget commission meeting. And a number of deputies abstained from voting, thereby blocking this decision," leader of European Solidarity in Kyiv City Council, head of the standing committee on healthcare, family, social and veterans' policy Maryna Poroshenko said, following a closed session of the capital's city council.

European Solidarity deputies also continue to demand that the central government return the UAH 8 billion withdrawn to Kyiv budget. Kyiv City Council deputy Liudmyla Kovalevska claims that the central government "only tells how everything is done wrong in the capital, while distributing generators anywhere, to any city, but not to Kyiv." "We could do it, give us our money and we will be able to buy as many generators as necessary so that Kyiv residents do not sit in cold houses. But, unfortunately, this draft decision was not adopted, because they could not even include it in the agenda of the budget commission," she said.

As Mrs Poroshenko stated, the faction will initiate the next extraordinary meeting of Kyiv City Council so that appropriate decisions are nevertheless adopted.