In Pervomaisk, funding for education has been cut to settle the heating supplier’s debts
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- Alona KokhanchukReporter
A session of the Pervomaisk City Council. Photo: Pervomaisk City CouncilIn Pervomaisk, the Department of Education has reallocated an additional 1.5 million hryvnias to settle the debts of the municipal enterprise «Zhytlo».
Councillors backed the decision during the Pervomaisk City Council session on 28 May, according to NikVesti.
It should be noted that on 5 May, the City Council had already allocated 3 . 3 million hryvnias from the Education Department’s budget to settle the debts of the «Zhytlo» municipal enterprise and to prepare for the upcoming heating season. However, these funds proved insufficient, so councillors agreed to a further reallocation of 1.5 million hryvnias.
The head of the education department, Svitlana Tkachuk, opposed this decision. According to her, the education sector already faces a significant funding shortfall, particularly regarding staff salaries.
«The Department of Education reported a shortfall of 20 million hryvnias in wages. Today, the budget is being tabled, and once again 1.5 million hryvnias is being taken from the Department of Education to settle the debts of the ‘Zhytlo’ municipal enterprise. Once again, no account is being taken of the fact that there is no money for salaries in the education sector. At the previous session on 5 May, it was said that 3 million hryvnias would be returned and that the funds allocated to Gymnasium №2 would remain with the Education Department. Today, the funds are being taken from the gymnasium and, accordingly, there is no return whatsoever», stated Svitlana Tkachuk.
Head of the Education Department Svitlana Tkachuk. Screenshot of the sessionShe also emphasised that the Department of Education had proposed allocating these funds to roof repairs at the ‘Prestige’ Lyceum and Gymnasium №2, as well as to the purchase of equipment for the educational institution, where renovation work is planned to be carried out with the participation of a community organisation. However, these proposals were not supported.
During the session, councillors also heard a report from Oleksandr Kondratiev, director of the municipal enterprise «Zhytlo», on the financial state of the enterprise.
According to him, the company’s revenue in 2025 amounted to 43.6 million hryvnias, whilst expenditure reached 51.4 million hryvnias. In the first quarter of 2026, the municipal enterprise «Zhytlo» received 24.8 million hryvnias in revenue and incurred 37 million hryvnias in expenditure, which represents almost 72% of last year’s annual expenditure.
The company’s losses for the first three months of 2026 amounted to 9.9 million hryvnias.
Director of the municipal enterprise Zhytlo, Oleksandr Kondratiev. Screenshot of the sessionThe company’s director attributed the deterioration in financial performance to a significant rise in energy costs.
«This situation has arisen due to a significant rise in energy prices. For instance, from 1 January, tariffs for the transmission and distribution of electricity were increased. The cost of the electricity itself has risen significantly,» explained Oleksandr Kondratiev.
The discussion of the issue was accompanied by a lively debate. Some councillors emphasised that the additional 1.5 million hryvnias would not fully resolve the problem, as the company’s total losses exceed 9 million hryvnias. In their view, the city council may in future be forced to seek funds from other sectors again to support the municipal enterprise.
On the other hand, supporters of the decision noted that this is not about funds from a single sector, but about the resources of the entire community, which must be directed towards the most urgent needs.
Oleksandra Kondratiev, director of the «Zhytlo» municipal enterprise, added that they would continue to work with debtors to secure funds and settle the enterprise’s debts.
«Let’s not resort to manipulation at the expense of education. These are budget funds that belong to the community,» remarked Mayor Oleh Demchenko.
As a result, councillors supported both the report by the head of the municipal enterprise «Zhytlo» and the reallocation of funds to settle the enterprise’s debts. Twenty-three councillors voted in favour of the decision, with a further six abstaining.
It should be noted that Pervomaisk plans to attract over €5.5 million in grant funding from the Nordic Environment Finance Corporation (NEFCO) for the renovation of the maternity hospital and the implementation of energy-efficient solutions.
It was previously reported that Pervomaisk is preparing for a major refurbishment of the maternity hospital. The building is expected to be modernised under a project by the Nordic Environment Finance Corporation (NEFCO).
We would also like to remind you that the construction of a new water treatment plant in Pervomaisk is promised to be completed by spring 2026. The project is being implemented with financial support from the European Union and the Nordic Environment Finance Corporation (NEFCO).
This material was produced within the REACH – Media Partnerships for Accountability and Trust project, implemented by International Media Support (IMS) and supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark. The content reflects the views of the authors and not necessarily those of the Danish government. Denmark’s support strengthens civil society and independent media in Ukraine, including in Mykolaiv.
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