[89041] Uproar in Ukraine: CEO of 'Ukrposhta' sparks outrage after calling critics "goats"
[89041] Uproar in Ukraine: CEO of 'Ukrposhta' sparks outrage after calling critics "goats"
Igor Smelyansky, CEO of the Ukrainian Postal Service, is under attack online after claiming that his contribution to the army is greater than that of those criticizing his high salary.
Public uproar surrounding the statement by the CEO of 'Ukrposhta'
A wave of public criticism has flooded social networks in Ukraine following the remarks of Igor Smelyansky, CEO of the national postal company "Ukrposhta". Smelyansky sparked outrage after bluntly calling citizens who criticize his monthly salary, which stands at approximately 970 thousand hryvnias, "goats" (козли).
According to reports by Times of Ukraine: Новини | Україна and Україна Online: Новини | Політика, the CEO claimed that the criticism was unjustified. Smelyansky defended his salary by arguing that thanks to his high income, he pays significant tax amounts to the state treasury, and therefore his contribution to the army (ZSU) is "tens of times greater" than that of his critics, as reported by Всевидящее ОКО: Україна and Батальйон «Монако» | Україна | Новини.
The reactions in the Ukrainian media system were sharp. While networks such as ТСН новини / ТСН.ua noted that after tax deductions, Smelyansky's net salary stands at about 700 thousand hryvnias, Member of Parliament Oleksiy Goncharenko responded very harshly. Goncharenko, known for his critical positions regarding the current administration, called Smelyansky an "impudent glutton" and argued that rank-and-file postal workers, who earn a hundred times less than him, contribute much more to the country.
The discussion surrounding the event, as reflected in Ху Київ | Україна and 🇺🇦УКРАЇНА⚡️Новини ⚡️Політика, highlights the high public sensitivity in Ukraine regarding wage gaps during wartime, especially when it comes to senior officials in government companies.