A stable economic situation in the first half of this year and the growth in some sectors have become the basis for the further increase in social payments, President Viktor Yanukovych said at a meeting with candidates for heads of district state administrations in Kyiv on Wednesday, the president's press office reported.

"At least, there is no economic collapse, we are fulfilling all our social obligations that we undertook to raise wages, pensions - all this is taken into account in the budget," Yanukovych said.

He noted that in the first half of the year, there is though a slight but consistent economic growth.

"The first half of the year we follow somewhere on the same level as last year, with a slight improvement in some sectors of the economy. And the second half of the year, as we see the pace, will be better than the first," the head of state emphasized.

According to him, the situation was somewhat complicated by disruption in the work of the Verkhovna Rada, which often prevented effective action of the executive power, not allowing to react timely to the challenges that have arisen due to the unstable economic situation in the world. "But we have survived. We have used all our capabilities to ensure that it does not affect the life of the country," Yanukovych underscored.

Now the situation has stabilized, and the parliament has started its work, which is of great importance, the head of state emphasized.

Ukrinform