Ukraine reduces salary arrears Salary arrears reduction efforts continue apace, according to First Deputy Prime Minister

Sergei Arbuzov, who has announced a 13% drop in pay arrears since Marc h. Arbuzov said the achievement can be improved upon and encouraged his colleagu es work on unresolved issues. President Viktor Yanukovych and the government have made it a priority to ensure salaries and Pension Fund payments are made on time. Arbuzov said timely paymen t remains the personal responsibility of all government bodies, especially the S tate Labour Inspectorate and the State Employment Service, as well as on the cou ntry's top leadership. The meeting was attended by the Ministry of Income and Fees, the Ministry of Fin ance, the Ministry of Social Policy, the Pension Fund, the Public Employment Ser vice, the State Labour Inspectorate and the General Prosecutor's Office. Managers who incur salary debts must be held responsible under current legislati on. According to Arbuzov, the lives of millions of Ukrainian citizens depend on receiving their salaries on time and the government should devote the time and r esources necessary to facilitate this. Arbuzov instructed central and local authorities to work together with prosecuti on bodies and address the arrears and informal employment."We need to adjust and ensure that repayment schedules for salaries and Pension Fund be met.These schedu les must be met for each enterprise and in every region," Arbuzov said. The Ministry of Social Policy and the State Labour Inspectorate have already man aged to increase supervision over observance of labor legislation.The plan of own revenues of the Pension Fund in January-August 2013 was exceeded by 1.1 billion UAH.It compliments the government's efforts to achieve their social objectives. Offset: Some 143 million UAH of salary arrears were paid in March through August 2013