The People's Artist of Ukraine revealed the amount of the legendary singers' pensions: the money is only enough for gasoline from Zakarpattia to Kyiv

Ivan Popovych, People's Artist of Ukraine, a pop star of the 90s known for his hits "Carpathian Wedding," "Vasylyna," "There Will Be No Parting," and "Gold of the Carpathians," has disclosed the number of pensions paid to legendary stars. The 75-year-old singer told us about the conditions in which celebrities whose songs used to be on the radio have to live.

Popovych shared the details in an interview with Glavkom. In particular, he spoke about the role of the Ministry of Culture in financing folk artists.

The problem is that the current cultural policy of the National Council on Television and Radio Broadcasting dictates its own rules: if before the full-scale invasion, one could hear Ukrainian pop masters on the waves of the National Radio, now the airwaves are ruled by money, the artist says. The institution is now headed by Olha Herasymiuk, with whom Popovych had a good relationship, but they "follow certain instructions."

The singer says that the president should have an advisor who will defend the interests of stars. "Why don't we hear Alla Kudlay, Lilia Sandulesa, Bilonozhky, Popovych now? Here and there, something will be heard, and it's for money. Some of my colleagues make it this way. I'm not going to give money to anyone," he says.

The performer admits that his and his colleagues' pension is 5 thousand hryvnias. The guest emphasized that the pop star Vasyl Zinkevych receives a similar amount, despite the Shevchenko Prize. "This money is enough for me to fill up my car and drive from Zakarpattia to Kyiv, and drink tea on the way because I don't have enough to eat," Popovych says, adding that the government is based on the "rate" that was in place during the Soviet era.

"Theater people's artists barely make a penny to a penny. I think this is primarily because the title of People's Artist has been devalued in our country," explains the star. "You know, once it even happened that Dmytro Hnatiuk called me and asked if there was any possibility of performing at my concerts because he had no money to pay for electricity and gas.

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