6 August 2014
The Ukrainian government is aiming to slash its staff of public servants between 30 and 50 percent, particularly in regulatory organs, Justice Minister Pavlo Petrenko told an Aug. 5 press briefing. The Cabinet has already submitted the necessary legislation to parliament, he said. Those officials not being laid off will face retesting, particularly in the judicial and oversight spheres, Petrenko said. Those remaining employed will gain higher salaries, he said. “A public servant who earns a wage of UAH 1,200 ($100 a month) can’t be effective,” he said.
Zenon Zawada: These are precisely the reforms that the Ukrainian government needs to pursue, so the Cabinet’s effort deserves applause. If the legislation is approved and the layoffs are implemented, along with higher salaries, the government will be on the right track to improving its condition. Yet a critical accompanying reform must involve enhancing conditions for small and medium business so that the newly unemployed, former public servants are able to generate an adequate source of income.