This is how Vice Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk answered a question from a journalist on the Rada TV channel about priorities in spending state and local budgets.

According to her, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy constantly emphasizes that in wartime, central and local authorities should manage resources to ensure defense and human security first and foremost. This is the main component of the state’s national security.

The official emphasized that on the eve of the new school year, the issue of arranging shelters in educational institutions is relevant. For example, 3,600 out of 13,000 schools need them. The President has instructed the Government and the heads of the regional military administrations to resolve this issue. The shelters must be operational and in good condition.

 “The entire Ukrainian people support the president in this. When making budgets, defense measures should be in the first place. This is either support for our armed forces—or other expenditures related to the security of the civilian population. We need to focus on that now. To win and save as many of our people as possible. The pavement will wait,” emphasized Iryna Vereshchuk.