In Mykolaiv, there is talk of a shortage of funds for salaries in the cultural sector

In Mykolaiv, officials have called for urgent efforts to secure funds to pay the salaries of cultural workers. As of September 1, no funds have been allocated for this purpose.

This was reported by Volodymyr Topchiy, director of the Mykolaiv Zoo, during a meeting of the Mykolaiv City Council’s standing committee on economic and investment policy.

According to the zoo director, he discussed the situation with representatives of the city’s Department of Culture, but they also do not yet know how the funding issue will be resolved after the summer ends.

“What are we going to do with cultural institutions starting September 1? There’s absolutely nothing allocated for salaries. We’re trying to figure out what to do about this—or will it have to wait? Because as of September 1, there’s no money for salaries. I spoke with the Department of Culture yesterday, but they don’t know what to do either,” Topchiy said.

He emphasized that the problem must be addressed in advance so that the issue of funding for cultural institutions is not overlooked.

During the discussion, Fedir Panchenko, chair of the Planning and Budget Committee of the Mykolaiv City Council, asked whether Topchiy proposed inviting Yuriy Lyubarov, head of the Department of Culture and Cultural Heritage Protection, to discuss the situation.

The zoo director replied that he was not insisting on an immediate discussion involving the department head, but urged that a solution to the problem not be delayed.

“I suggest that this issue not be forgotten or left unaddressed,” the zoo director noted.

In response, Panchenko suggested that the issue was primarily a matter for the city’s finance department.

Topchiy added that the city needs to determine immediately where funds can be reallocated to pay salaries.

“We need to start thinking right now about where to get the money. I don’t know, but cultural institutions are being left without funding,” the zoo director concluded.

Ірина Глухова