Business Update: May 5 – Budget deficit grows, Wizz Air invests, Uber Eats quits


A Ukrainian attends a rally organized by Ukrainian restaurateurs in front of the President’s Office in Kyiv on May 2, 2020. The protesters were demanding that the government allow restaurants in Ukraine to resume table service at outdoor terraces during the quarantine. Over 65% of Ukraine’s cafes and restaurants have either entirely suspended their activities or closed down for good because of the coronavirus lockdown as of April 30.

Finance Ministry: Deficit of national budget totals Hr 23.5 billion in January–April. That deficit, roughly $870 million in U.S. dollars, corresponds to the budget plan for 2020, the Finance Ministry has reported. In April, Ukraine generated Hr 90 billion ($3.3 billion) in revenue, with Hr 43 billion ($1.6 billion) coming from the National Bank alone.

Revenues from the social security tax have decreased for the first time since 2016. In April 2020, Ukraine’s revenues from the social tax dropped by 3.8% compared to April 2019. The country collected $840 million in this tax, $32 million less than last April, the State Treasury Service reported. Only two months ago, in January, revenues grew by 15%.