President Poroshenko: Fight against poverty is top priority for authorities

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said this in Zhytomyr city while presenting new Chairman of Zhytomyr Regional State Administration Ihor Hundych, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"The minimum wage will be doubled starting from January 1, 2017. Why do we raise it? Fight against poverty is a top priority. Four million Ukrainians are now paid a wage of less than UAH 1,500," the President said.

The Head of State also noted that an increase in the minimum wage would cause an increase in tax revenues for local governments. Particularly, the local budgets will further get UAH 7.7 billion from income tax, which the minimum wage is taxed on, Poroshenko said.

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