This year, the Ukrainian government, headed by Denis Shmyhal, with the active support of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, took the necessary measures to pay wages to miners, the press service of the Ministry of Economy said.
In the summer, the Ministry of Energy paid off the current wage arrears to the miners, which arose due to the forced downtime of coal mining enterprises, and also ensured the payment of wages.
Now in the State budget it is planned to provide for another 1.4 billion hryvnia for the payment of wages to miners and repayment of the debt that has arisen since September. These funds should come from mandatory payments of NJSC Naftogaz and JSC Ukrnafta - the corresponding bill was adopted today in the first reading by the people's deputies.
The Ministry of Energy stressed that the fund for combating COVID-19 was not used to pay off debts to miners: not a penny was taken from there.
“During the year, we ensured the payment of wages to miners and repayment of current debts to the maximum. I am grateful to the government and people's deputies for effective decisions and the opportunity to reach 100% of the government's calculations for the workers of the coal industry, without bothering special funds, in particular the fund for combating COVID 19. Moreover, if possible, fill this fund, ”the acting director said. Minister of Energy Olga Buslavets.
Earlier it was reported that near the Verkhovna Rada on Tuesday there was another protest of miners from coal mining enterprises of the city of Ugledar, which were joined by colleagues from the Confederation of Free Trade Unions of Donetsk region. Among the demands of the protesters:
- pay off salary arrears immediately,
- ensure stable coal sales,
- prohibit de-energizing mines during the quarantine mode,
- resolve the issue of raising the level of tariff rates and salaries up to 25% by making appropriate changes to the Collective Agreement in order to increase the wages of employees,
- to return the underground experience of engineering and technical personnel, canceled according to list No. 2, etc.
Let us remind you that the Energy Ministry has already completed the preparation of the project The concept of reforming the coal industry, which is aimed at optimizing state budget expenditures. The concept provides for the division of mines into three groups. The first group is the mines that will be integrated with OJSC "Centerenergo" and are its resource base. The second is dual-use mines, the sale of which is not limited solely to thermal coal. The third group of mines - those that will be offered for privatization not only as coal mining enterprises, but also as integral property complexes that can be used for other economic activities.
