Donetsk, Sep 1 - DAN. Donetsk People’s Republic Head Denis Pushilin said on Tuesday that a phased increase in DPR medics’ wages would bring them to the level of the Russian Federation’s Rostov region.

“Three payrise stages have been planned to bring us to the Rostov region’s level,” Pushilin said. “They include a 28 percent increase, on the average, for workers on the state payroll at each stage; civil servants' pay will increase by 18 percent on the average, and pensions and welfare benefits will increase by 20 percent on the average.”

The payrises are scheduled for January 1, 2021, July 2021 and January 2022.

Pushilin made the statement at a meeting with Gorky Donetsk National Medical University (DonNMU) students. He offered the students his best wishes on the beginning of the new academic year underlining that the university “gives them the exclusive opportunity to become top specialists.”

“You've made a conscious choice to join people’s life and health protection service. It’s a hard, responsible and honourable decisoin,” he said.

DonNMU student initiation ceremony was held for 923 university students, 286 lyceum pupils and 35 medical college students. DonNMU rector Grigory Ignatenko called them a large future reserve of human resources.

Earlier, the DPR leader announced plans to bring wages and pensions in the Republic to the level of Russia’s Rostov region by 2022.*jk