Mykolaiv’s cultural sector is short of ₴26 million until the end of the year to cover salaries and utility bills

There is a shortfall of 26 million for salaries and utility bills in Mykolaiv’s cultural sector. Illustrative photo: NikVesti

Mykolaiv’s cultural sector is short of around 26 million hryvnias to cover salaries and utility bills until the end of 2026. Yurii Liubarov, head of the city’s culture department, spoke about this on the municipal television channel «MART», according to NikVesti.

As is well known, in early October, members of the Mykolaiv City Council appealed for the third time to the Verkhovna Rada and the Cabinet of Ministers due to a shortfall in the city budget. This time, the city is requesting an additional grant of 819.1 million hryvnias until the end of 2026.

Yurii Liubarov noted that, at the end of October, members of the Mykolaiv City Council will be asked to adopt a resolution on the reallocation of Mykolaiv’s budget.

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«I hope that, out of the 800 million hryvnias the city is currently short of, we will be able to find 26 million to pay the salaries of cultural workers,» said Yurii Liubarov.

At the same time, the official noted that almost all cultural sector workers in Mykolaiv currently receive salaries below the minimum wage. It was previously reported that the average salary of employees at cultural institutions in Mykolaiv, after tax, is 8,204 hryvnias. Before tax, it amounts to 10,518 hryvnias.

«Almost all salaries are below the minimum wage. The pay scales for almost all directors and deputy directors of cultural institutions are below the minimum wage. Therefore, everyone on this salary receives a top-up to bring it up to the minimum wage,» said Yurii Liubarov.

It should be recalled that back in December, city councillors appealed to the government and parliament demanding a pay rise for cultural workers. They pointed out that in 2025 the minimum wage stood at 8,000 hryvnias, yet the basic salaries of many cultural workers remain below this level.

The government subsequently raised the basic salary for cultural workers to 3,470 hryvnias. The Mykolaiv authorities say they will seek funds in the budget to pay these supplements.

In July 2026, the Ukrainian Ministry of Culture announced that, under a new Cabinet of Ministers resolution, salaries for cultural workers were to be increased from 1 January 2027. However, the full text of the resolution revealed that the funds for the pay rise must be found in local budgets by reviewing the network of institutions and staff numbers.

«Even today, Mykolaiv cannot fund its current level of expenditure. And next year, it seems to me, Mykolaiv’s overall budget is unlikely to increase significantly. Nothing is happening at the moment to give us any reason to believe that the budget will increase. But salaries must be raised. Because salaries for cultural workers have not been raised for many years. During the years I’ve been head of the department, there have been at least two visits by the Minister to Mykolaiv. That’s just the ones I was personally present at. We raised all the issues regarding what needs to be done. But this isn’t just a matter for the Ministry of Culture, but also for the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Economy and so on. Even before the full-scale war, when the city and the country were not yet facing such financial difficulties, this issue remained unresolved. And now, when the situation is at its most difficult compared to previous years, such a pay rise is being implemented, and we support it. However, we are preparing letters to Kyiv to request that this shortfall be covered by state funding. Although we also realise that the state won’t suddenly have extra money falling from the sky,» said Yurii Liubarov.

He noted that there are currently around 1,300 employees working in the cultural sector in Mykolaiv. The same number work in institutions under regional jurisdiction. This sector in Mykolaiv comprises 37 library branches, 9 cultural centres and palaces, 10 art schools, as well as the zoo.

It was previously reported that the Mykolaiv Zoo has debts of around 2 million hryvnias for animal feed and utility bills due to payment delays from the Treasury. This is because the Government has postponed funding for non-essential construction, repairs and improvement works. The decision was taken due to the difficult budgetary situation, in order to channel funds towards defence and priority social expenditure.

The Government has prioritised expenditure on defence, pensions and social benefits, as well as salaries for public sector employees. At the same time, it is proposed that funding for non-priority projects be postponed. Prime Minister Serhii Koretskyi has also called on local authorities to review the priorities of their budgets and limit the relevant expenditure.

The government had previously announced a regime of budgetary savings for funds not earmarked for defence needs. At the same time, social obligations, in particular the payment of pensions and salaries, must be met.