When book certificates will be issued – the Ministry of Finance is delaying the project
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The resolution on state assistance for 18-year-olds for the purchase of books cannot be approved due to the lengthy approval of the Assistance Procedure. Changes to the pre-drafted document have to be made due to the reduction of funding for culture in 2025. In the last iteration of the project, a correction was added, which roughly reads as follows: “aid is distributed as long as the allocated funds are sufficient for it“.
About this in author’s column UP Life said the director of the Ukrainian Book Institute Oleksandra Koval.
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The program provides for a payment of 908 hryvnias for persons who have reached the age of majority from January 1, 2024. Work on the Resolution began at the beginning of July, and it should have been adopted by September 20.
“In the last iteration, an interesting correction appeared, that is, NOT ALL 18-year-olds, but those who were born on time or registered in the first 15 minutes after the opening of registration in Diya, you know, for the train Kyiv – Warsaw. Those who did not make it – we are not to blame, you will use it in the next life. Therefore, it is likely that not all 18-year-olds will receive the coveted UAH 908 this year, but those who have enough, and next year’s budget does not include the estimated 372 million, but only 100“, said the director of the institution.
State support of the book industry. Prospects 2025
The draft budget for 2025 has already been submitted by the Government and published on the website of the Verkhovna Rada. While spending on culture is noticeably reduced, this also applies to UIC. A total of 78.5 million hryvnias were allocated, when the need is 144.2 million hryvnias, it is said in the document presented by the Ukrainian Book Institute at the KyivBookFest. After the publication of the State Budget project, UAH 100 million was added to this amount specifically for the payment of state aid to adults
State support of the book industry. Prospects for 2025
“If culture (and strategic communications) cannot be financed, let’s put it on hold, and close various institutes like ours. Temporarily or permanently. Everyone will understand. After all, it’s war and you have to tighten your belts to win“, Koval concluded.
Why is it taking so long to implement book certificates
May 17, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi signed the law on stimulating the development of Ukrainian book publishing and book distribution. Draft law No. 11251 provided for subsidies to bookstores and state aid for the purchase of books for Ukrainians.
This year’s state budget provides 466 million hryvnias for the activities of the Ukrainian Book Institute, support of book publishing and popularization of Ukrainian literature in the world. 372 million hryvnias of them are invested in certificates for the purchase of books.
After signing the Koval law clarifiedthat all citizens of Ukraine who have turned 18 on January 1, 2024, have the right to receive state financial assistance in the amount of 908.40 hryvnias in 2024. These funds should appear on the virtual card after registration in “Action”. You can spend them only on the purchase of books by Ukrainian publishers, published in the Ukrainian language in any format (paper, electronic, audio, Braille). Approximately for this amount you can buy from 1 to 6 books.
Already on August 30, the director of the UIC sharedthat the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy together with the Ministry of Digital Transformation have already worked out and agreed on the procedure for using funds for state aid. . At the same time, the project was transferred to the Ministry of Finance of Ukraine.
“We held working meetings and consultations with representatives of the Center for Economic and Social Affairs, with Diya and with Oschadbank to agree on issues of interaction and technical issues of the implementation mechanism of the Program. We also prepared and familiarized potential program participants with step-by-step instructions for participation on our website. Book distributors are actively filling our “Books” catalog on the market” to provide buyers with a wide selection of books from Ukrainian publishers”. As of today, there are more than 70,000 titles in this catalog.
The project is still being coordinated with the Ministry of Finance, writes the head of the UIC. After the Ministry of Finance approves the financing, the document must be approved by the Ministry of Justice, and then the Cabinet of Ministers must issue a corresponding resolution. Therefore, neither registration nor payments are taking place yet.
