A pensioner asks the price of meat at a market-place

COMM A pensioner asks the price of meat at a market-place in Kiev, Sunday, October 17, 2004. On September 18, 2004, the government approved a resolution introducing address additional payment to pensioners whose pensions are lower than the living wage for citizens incapable for work (284,69 hryvnas). On September 22, the first vice-Prime Minister, Minister of Finance Mykola Azarov declared that it was enough means in budget for the additional payment to pensioners. In the beginning of 2004 meat prices increased in Ukraine by 38 %, and in September meat prices increased more by 6,4%. Thereupon the government and Agricultural Union signed up the Memorandum about meat market control on February 2, 2004. Ministry of Economics holds the opinion that the current situation with meat prices is caused by speculative trading by market employees, as far as the producer meat price is about 7-9 hryvnas per kg. But meat costs about 25 hryvnas and more at market-places. Photo by UNIAN