You're reading: Five millionaires working in Ukrainian government

Five out of 15 members of the Ukrainian Cabinet of Ministers received annual income over Hr 1 million in 2010, according to income declarations posted on the cabinet Web site on Monday.

Among the members of the Cabinet of Ministers, Vice Premier and Infrastructure Minister Borys Kolesnikov received the highest income, which amounted to Hr 164.5 million.

The former businessman declared Hr 164.5 million as his income, of which the main share was from dividends, interest and royalties. At the same time, according to the declaration, the vice premier is not a shareholder or a member of any company.

Vice Premier and Social Policy Minister Sergiy Tigipko ranked second in terms of income. He earned Hr 24.15 million in 2010, of which he received Hr 21.49 million from the sale of corporate rights.

His colleague, First Vice Premier and Economy Development and Trade Minister Andriy Kliuyev declared Hr 4.4 million as his overall income in 2010, of which Hr 347,000 is salary.

In addition, according to the income declarations, the other millionaires include Agrarian Policy and Food Minister Mykola Prysiazhniuk (Hr 1.380 million) and Culture and Tourism Minister Mykhailo Kuliniak (Hr 1.365 million). The salary of these officials in 2010 totaled Hr 175,500 and Hr 179,000 respectively.

Incomes over Hr 500,000 were declared by Education, Science, Youth and Sports Minister Dmytro Tabachnyk (over Hr 848,000) and Vice Premier, Regional Development and Construction Minister Viktor Tykhonov (Hr 541,000). The salary of Tabachnyk in 2010 totaled Hr 234,500 and the salary of Tykhonov – Hr 337,000. Tykhonov also received Hr 197,000 in pension payments.

There is still no information on the government Web site about income of Ecology and Natural Resources Minister Mykola Zlochevsky.

Among the ministers with the lowest incomes are former Presidential Secretariat Head and Emergencies Minister Viktor Baloha, who declared Hr 67,600 in income in 2010 (of which Hr 57,100 is salary), Health Minister Illia Yemets (Hr 171,000, of which Hr 155,000 is salary), and Energy, Fuel and Coal Industry Minister Yuriy Boiko (Hr 195,400 worth of salary).

Boiko is the only member of the Cabinet of Ministers who declared he owned a Soviet-made car – a VAZ 2001 (commonly known as a Zhiguli), although he also owns a Mersedes G4500 car. Members of the government apart from Mercedes cars, also own Bentley, Maserati, Rolls-Royce and Lexus cars.