LVIV, Feb. 1 - The priority for the Coal Ministry in the coming years is to increase coal extraction and wages for miners, Coal Minister Viktor Poltavets said at the Lvivvuhillia state company in the Lviv region settlement of Sokal.

He said that the ministry plans to considerably increase coal extraction in the coming years. He said that in 2008, state mines would increase coal extraction to 47 million tons, while in 2007 they extracted 42 million tons.