Fuel excise taxes have not increased since 1 September. The relevant law was supposed to come into force today, but Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy did not sign it, reports [Kommersant].
This means that the Ukrainian leader is now obliged to veto the law on the increase in fuel excise taxes from 1 September, explains mP Nina Yuzhanina explains.
As of 1 September the draft law No. 11256-2 is still awaiting the President’s signature, where it was sent on 21 August. The introduction of the draft law was blocked by a resolution submitted by MP Oleksiy Honcharenko.
“I submitted a resolution to the Verkhovna Rada, which blocked the movement of this draft law for a whole month. That’s why Stefanchuk could not sign it, and, accordingly, the President. This resolution was voted down in the Rada last week, which paved the way for the President to sign it, but at least so far it has not happened,” wrote Goncharenko wrote on his Telegram channel on Sunday, 1 September.
What is in the draft law 11256-2?
The draft law provides for a significant increase in excise taxes on all types of fuel – petrol, diesel and gas. This will result in a record retail margin of up to UAH 8-11 per litre. However, this will not happen immediately, but over several years (the increase will be phased in).
Thus, in September, experts expect fuel prices to rise by UAH 2-2.5 per litre, and autogas prices by UAH 5-6.
In his turn, Danylo Hetmantsev, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada’s relevant committee explainedthat this step is necessary to finance the army and will have a minor impact on the cost of fuel, as the excise tax has a minimal impact on the price.
“This is the contribution we all make to finance our defenders. Given the choice between two extra hryvnias per litre and the salaries of the military, I always make a decision in favour of the military’s salaries. And every Ukrainian who sincerely believes in our country will make the same decision,” said Getmantsev.