Ukraine’s Vice PM Kubiv: Average salary in private sector is $438

"The average salary has grown by $170 (equivalent): from about $210 in December 2015 up to $383 in April 2019. In the private sector, the average salary in April 2019 was already $438. This indicates that standing of business has improved and it has an opportunity to pay big salaries," First Vice Prime Minister - Economic Development and Trade Minister of Ukraine Stepan Kubiv said during an hour of questions to the government in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

He also recalled that the minimum wage has increased over the past three years: from $55 as of January 1, 2016 up to $150 starting from January 1, 2019

“This is a conscientious position of the government: Ukrainians should have high living standards. However, the government cannot set big salaries for everyone by administrative means as this will make the business go into the shadow. Therefore, our vision has always been that we should create conditions for business development, in particular, for production and export,” Kubiv noted.

He stressed that the EU market is now the main market for Ukrainian goods and allows to compensate for the loss of the Russian market.

"The share of the European Union in our exports of goods and services is 42.6% and it is constantly growing. Russia's share is 7.7% and it keeps decreasing," the First Vice Prime Minister added.

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