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Companies which are not paying salaries to their staff could be nationalized, Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko said.

"If the so-called fictitious private owners of privatized companies promised reconstruction, modernization and global market entry but failed to deliver, we need to think of their people being thrown onto the street and not getting their salaries. The state must regain control over and assume responsibility for these companies," she said a governmental meeting on the problem of delayed salaries on Monday.

Moreover, the economic and all related ministries must determine which private companies have the biggest debt in unpaid salaries, Tymoshenko said.

"In addition, we are implementing the TOP 100 anti-rating on private companies with fictitious private owners and on companies with the biggest job cuts," said the prime minister, adding that such information will be made available to the public.