In Odesa, deputies say there is a lack of funding for energy and shelters

In Odesa, a meeting of the budget committee considered changes to the city budget and a number of financial and programmatic issues for 2026. The deputies supported the redistribution of funds, but emphasized the critical lack of funding for the implementation of strategic projects, in particular in the field of energy efficiency and security.

This was discussed at a meeting of the Standing Committee on Planning, Budget and Finance of the Odesa City Council.

The deputies considered a number of financial issues related to 2026. The focus was on changes to the budget, financing of transport infrastructure, environmental programs and implementation of the city's energy efficiency plan.

The first issue was the adjustment of the budget in terms of expenditures on urban electric transportation. In particular, it concerns servicing a loan for the purchase of 13 railcars - currently, the city pays about UAH 17 million in interest every month. Due to the fact that the transport was temporarily out of service at the beginning of the year, there were savings that were decided to be used to cover these costs. The decision was supported unanimously.

The commission also approved the redistribution of more than a million hryvnias for the development of a local waste management plan. They also considered the issue of possible tax benefits for real estate used by military units. However, due to legal uncertainty, the deputies decided to seek clarification from the relevant department.

One of the key points was to amend the city's energy efficiency program for 2022-2028. The update includes adjustments to funding and the exclusion of certain measures. In particular, the amount of expenditures in one of the areas was reduced by more than UAH 100 thousand, and the list of works that must comply with the approved city sustainability plan was clarified.

However, during the discussion, the deputies repeatedly emphasized the lack of sufficient financial resources to implement these programs. According to them, the total need for funding for these measures could reach 50-70 million euros, which is comparable to the annual development budget of the city. In such circumstances, the city is forced to consider lending options, which raises concerns about the financial burden in the future.

The deputies also emphasized that the state imposes significant obligations on local governments without adequate financial support. In particular, it is about implementing resilience plans, maintaining educational institutions and arranging shelters, which are often not covered by the state budget.

They also raised the issue of the suspension of work on the repair of bomb shelters in schools due to lack of co-financing from the state. Despite the criticism and financial risks, the commission supported most of the decisions, emphasizing the need to further search for sources of funding, both at the national and international levels.

As Intent previously reported, Odesmiskelektrotrans managed to launch only 50% of the trams and 45% of the trolleybuses available to the company.

Анна Бальчінос