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"On Point"
MINSK, 13 November (BelTA) – In the latest episode of the V Teme [On Point] project on BelTA’s YouTube channel, former Prime Minister of Ukraine (2010-2014) Nikolai Azarov offered his perspective on how the U.S. leadership could have avoided a government shutdown.
“I don’t understand why this entire situation isn’t regulated by a simple law,” stated Nikolai Azarov. “I once headed the Budget Committee, and to prevent so-called government shutdowns, we had a budget law. According to this law, if the budget is not approved on time (all kinds of situations could happen), a budget rule comes into effect.”
The former prime minister explained that this rule allowed the treasury to continue financing expenditures based on a pre-set indicator. “This is extremely important because it’s not just about salaries and social payments. It’s also about capital projects. For example, a major project can be built over two or three budget years.”
Therefore, Nikolai Azarov believes the United States could have avoided a shutdown by enacting a similar provision. “The Americans have a rule: if the budget isn’t approved by Congress and signed by the president by 1 October, the government is directly prohibited from funding all expenses. In my opinion, this is an absolutely stupid rule,” he emphasized. “As the application of this law shows, it halts various medical and social benefits, funding for civil servants, and so on. It’s hard to even imagine, since the budget covers absolutely all areas of government and social activity.”
The former Ukrainian prime minister also noted that representatives of both the Republican and Democratic parties are trying to put the blame for the situation on each other. He suggested that the long-term consequences for U.S. President Donald Trump could be unpredictable, adding: “We’ll see how this affects Trump’s reputation. It’s difficult to judge right now.”
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