"What a pity. So much time has been wasted. We did a lot of things wrong."

Igor Grinstein, journalist: "Whole social strata were expelled from society. Hence there are so many beggars and homeless children now, whose parents are incapable of taking care for them."

Igor Grinstein

Igor Grinstein, journalist: "What a pity. So much time has been wasted. We did a lot of things wrong. Whole social strata were expelled from society. Hence there are so many beggars and homeless children now. Their parents are incapable of taking care for them."

There's virtually no money for the health system.

Igor Grinstein, journalist: "Simultaneously with this seemingly freedom we received the explosion of the drug addiction. There's virtually no money for the health system. There's hardly enough for the salaries. In fact I planned to work on an article today, so I checked the Internet for data. In the Ukraine the minimum subsistence level amounts to (= 60 Euro) per person a month. The minimum wage however, only amounts to 140 Grivna (= 24 Euro). Thus the minimum wage makes up only half of the minimum subsistence level.


Note: A Kilo of meat costs 3 Euro in Odessa, a pair of shoes that lasts, 25, a fridge 250 Euro. A nurse earns 30 Euro a month, a head physician 50. Even for people who've still got work, the money doesn't do for living.

Streets of Odessa

Streets of Odessa

Streets of Odessa

Igor Grinstein, journalist

Streets of Odessa 2003