Increasing Salaries as a Key to Elevating the Authority of Public Service: Trust and Professionalism in Focus of Ombudsman Lubinets
The authority of civil service directly depends on the level of salaries paid to its officials.
This statement was made by the Human Rights Commissioner, Dmytro Lubinets, during the Richeille Public Administration Forum, emphasizing the need for radical reforms in the employment remuneration system for public servants.
According to him, to boost public trust and enhance the reputation of government bodies, salaries must be significantly increased to improve the financial incentives for employees.
Lubinets pointed out that many qualified professionals working in government administration receive minimal wages, which negatively impacts the profession’s prestige and the quality of public services.
He cited his own institutional experience, where employees, especially those in the international cooperation department, can earn three or more times higher salaries in international organizations, reducing their motivation to stay in public service.
The government supports salary increases, having approved the 2026 budget, which allocates funds for raising wages for teachers and doctors, as well as pension indexation, but has left military salaries unchanged.
Lawmakers express that their sincere desire is to pay more to Ukrainian defenders, even though currently they are not included in this initiative.