In a market economy, the state cannot set food prices, but increases the minimum wage to increase citizens' incomes, as stated by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a conversation with media representatives in the Ternopil region.
Answering journalists' questions, the Head of State noted that some experts say that the increase in the minimum wage is a big mistake.
"But ordinary people who live in Ukraine and who are mostly taxpayers, they are happy… As for the minimum wage, five thousand is nothing. We have increased as much as we could from September 1. From January 1, it will be six thousand, and from July 1 or August - six and a half thousand hryvnias," the President said.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy stressed that citizens will feel an increase in the level of the minimum wage, as it indexes the salaries of state employees.
The Head of State also noted that food prices are influenced by many factors, including weather conditions, harvest, balance of exports and imports, exchange rates and more.
"As for reducing prices, we have a market economy. The state cannot "break" prices and enterprises," Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
