The Ukrainian Presidential Secretariat's first deputy head, Oleksandr Shlapak, will recommend that President Viktor Yushchenko veto the law on a rise in the level of the living wage and minimum wage if the parliament adopts the current version of law.
“The budget should be balanced,” Shlapak told journalist in Kyiv on Wednesday.
He said that the Pension Fund would need additional grants if living wage is raised.
According to Shlapak, this could be done via a number of unpopular measures, in particular, via the introduction of a special luxury tax and the cancellation of special pensions.
Moreover, he said that a rise in minimum wage needs additional consultation with trade unions and employers.
As reported, on Tuesday the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine’s parliament, approved at first reading a draft law on the living wage and minimum wage for 2009 and 2010. A total of 259 MPs registered at parliament voted for the draft law submitted by Oleh Zarubynsky, a member of the Bloc of Lytvyn faction.
The draft law foresees a living wage of UAH 701 per month (per person) from November 1, 2009, UAH 825 from January 1, 2010, UAH 839 from April 1, UAH 843 from July 1, UAH 861 from October 1, and UAH 875 from December 1.
In addition, the draft law foresees a minimum wage of UAH 744 from November 1, 2009, UAH 869 from January 1, 2010, UAH 884 from April 1, UAH 888 from July 1, UAH 907 from October 1, and UAH 922 from December 1.
