The Party of Regions suggests Yulia Tymoshenko talking about wages. It was said by People’s Deputy of Ukraine, Party of Regions parliamentary faction member, Minister of Labor and Social Policy of the Opposition government Mykhailo Papiev while communicating with journalists.

- In accordance with the Budget Code, by June 1, 2008 the government had to introduce in the parliament, and Verkhovna Rada had to consider main points of the budgetary policy for 2009 which had to set down sizes of minimum and living wages for next year, the Party of Regions MP marked. – But it was not done. Afterwards the BUYT faction’s blockading of the parliament tribune rendered impossible the approval of alterations to the 2008 budget at the end of past session.

“Given that little time remains until September 15, when the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has to introduce the 2009 draft budget in the parliament, the Party of Regions proposes the Tymoshenko government in accordance with the current legislation to conduct obligatory consultations and sit down to talks with the all-Ukrainian associations of trade unions and employers’ organizations, at which agree upon sizes of minimum and living wages for 2009, the fact being taken into account that under the law a size of minimum wage is to meet living wage for the capable of working from January 1, 2009”, the Minister of the Opposition government stated.

“Well being of most Ukrainians and social protection of their families given soaring prices depends on correctness of determining such a social standard as wages”, M.Papiev underlined.

Additional information: The Yu.Tymoshenko government does not fulfill a statutory requirement on monthly promulgation of an actual size of living wage, according to which the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy is to promulgate its real size every previous month until 20th of a subsequent month. Experts estimate that, taking into account June prices, living wage for the capable of working was UAH 737 in June. Correspondingly, a size of minimum wage (UAH 535) to date is 73% of an actual size of living wage. The expected level of minimum wage in the 2009 draft as of January 1 is to equal UAH 767, by UAH 222 more than the Tymoshenko government planned for December of 2008 (UAH 545).

Press Service of People’s Deputy Mykhailo Papiev