Mykolaiv lacks over UAH 50 million for salaries in culture and education: jobs and library branches at risk
The problem was exacerbated by an unaccounted-for 40% increase in salaries and rising tariffs: an additional nearly UAH 15 million is needed
In Mykolaiv, more than UAH 50 million is lacking until the end of the year to pay the salaries of cultural workers including accruals. This was reported during a live broadcast on Thursday, April 16, by the head of the Department for Culture and Protection of Cultural Heritage of the MMR, Yurii Lyubarov.
The official explained that this year the city budget is smaller than in previous years, so the cultural sector did not receive full funding, which has already created a shortfall of funds.
He also recalled a number of factors that worsened the situation: the increase in the minimum wage, rising utility tariffs, and unaccounted changes to teachers’ pay adopted at the end of the year.
“In addition, this year there is an increase in the minimum wage, there is a significant rise in the cost of utilities, which also imposes additional problems on the budget. In the budget request that was formed in the 25th year for the 26th year, there was no account for the increase in the base salaries of pedagogical staff by 40%, which was adopted at the end of December by the Cabinet of Ministers”
As a result, salary rates for music directors and teachers in arts and general education schools were increased, which additionally raised the wage fund.
According to Lyubarov, the fact that these changes were not taken into account when drafting the city budget created a need for additional funding for salaries including accruals in the amount of almost UAH 15 million.
The official emphasized that institutions must operate within approved appropriations and adjust their work according to the available funds.
“The Budget Code of Ukraine states that heads of budgetary institutions must maintain staff numbers and make actual salary expenditures, including expenditures on bonuses, other forms of incentive, remuneration, and material assistance only within the payroll appropriations approved for budgetary institutions in the estimates. This means that we live on the money we have. And we do everything possible and provide our cultural services within the budgets that have been set for us for the 26 year”
Overall, to cover salary payments including accruals until the end of the year, more than UAH 50 million is lacking. Of that amount, UAH 26 million falls on educational institutions, another UAH 20 million on cultural institutions; a deficit is also recorded separately for the zoo.
Lyubarov outlined typical steps that institutions in the sector are forced to take under such conditions.
“What happens in such cases? Sector institutions are forced to take drastic measures due to limited funding. These include forced temporary staff reductions, reduced workloads for teaching staff, sometimes sending people on unpaid leave, and temporary closures, for example of library branches”
According to him, departments are trying to cut secondary expenditures, save on utilities and at the same time preserve teams, teaching staff, and work with children and visitors.
“To maintain premises, keep equipment, and so on. To not lose what we have already developed and to hold on until the time when, I hope, we receive additional funds and can continue our work within the necessary cultural services that we provided, provide, and will provide”
