You're reading: Korolevska says payment of back wages to state employees is her priority

Ukrainian Social Policy Minister Natalia Korolevska has said that her priority task is to pay wage arrears to state-paid employees.

“Payment of wage arrears in the budget-funded sphere is a number one
task for me today. It should be carried out by the end of December,” she
told journalists in Kyiv on Wednesday before a meeting of the
government.

Korolevska is planning to correct mistakes that were made in the social sphere and improve social protection of Ukrainians.

She said she is dissatisfied with budget financing envisaged for the
social sphere in 2013. The minister stated that she would demand to
revise relevant items of the national budget.

Korolevska added that despite holding the position in the executive branch of power she is a politician.

“I was and I am a politician. Today I am a politician and the social policy minister,” she said.