The bill №339-d, which is planned to be viewed by the finance committee of the Ukrainian parliament, does not contain rules on tax benefits for doctors, MP Alexander Dubinsky says.

The document is dedicated to fighting the consequences of the coronavirus in Ukraine. It is called “About Amending the Tax Code of Ukraine and other laws of Ukraine regarding additional support for taxpayers for the period of measures aimed at preventing the onset and spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19)”. Initially, it was assumed that this bill would remove the tax burden on health workers. Personal income tax should have been abolished for them in the amount of 18% and a military tax - 1.5%.

 “The document was presented to the members of parliament as a mechanism for exempting medical workers from the tax burden. And now the most interesting thing - all of these norms are no longer in the document. The Ministry of Finance and the National Health Service refused to support benefits for medical personnel at the forefront of the fight against coronavirus. People are deceived again. It was regarding the information about the sum of around UAH 800 million. Which means that it is possible to steal UAH 20 billion per month at customs, but when it comes to designating less than a billion for doctors – there is no way it could be done. I will definitely raise this issue at the VR Committee,” Alexander Dubinsky assures.

Also, he says that the Cabinet of Ministers’ decision No. 71, which prescribed a 300% bonus to doctors will not apply to all medical workers, as originally intended, but only for those who are united in special groups or work in supporting hospitals serving patients with COVID-19. What is more, 300% will be calculated based not on the full salary, but only on the official remuneration.

“It means that if there are 10 engines in the ambulance team, but only two of them are defined as specialized in the fight against coronavirus, then only these two will receive 300% bonuses (not calculated from the full  salary). And all the others who may also be at COVID-19 calls due to a large number of cases should not count on any additional compensation” Dubinsky explains the situation.

Andrey Pshenichny for the site dubinsky.pro