Wages should coincide with European prices

According to the survey of the European Commission, an average wages in the European Union amounts to 20.25 euro per hour. Belarusian average wage is 1.38 euro.

The highest hourly wages are in Sweden– 32.16 euro, Denmark – 31.16 euro, Luxemburg – 31.98 euro, “Nasha Niva” runs.

Bulgaria is an outsider among the EU countries. An average hourly pay here is 1.65 euro, in Romania – 2.68, Latvia – 3.41.

To compare: average wages in Belarus amount to 1.38 euro (taking into account 40-hour workday and 23 working days in April, an average wage in Belarus was 836,890 rubles).

Lukashenka is constantly saying food prices in Belarus should be European. If so, the wages should be European, too. But if compare food prices in European countries and Belarus and bring them into confrontation with average wages, it will be revealed that our costs don’t differ much from the European ones, and sometimes exceed them.

It should be added that the predicted average inflation rate in the European Union for 2008 is 3-4 per cent, and increase in food prices won’t exceed 8 per cent. However, Europe is nervous, strikes demanding to raise wages take place in different EU countries.

Inflation rate in Belarus has reached 7 per cent for only five months, and food prices have grown by 12-20 per cent, while the wages remain the same.