Press Review - April 4, 2016

04.04.2016 By Gabriela Stan

Romanian Government Finalizes Law On Salaries For Public Sector Employees

The Romanian Government will put up for public debate the law on salaries for public sector employees next week. According to the draft law, the lowest salary will be RON1,350 and the highest will reach RON20,250.

The average salary growth will be of 20% and will be applied in several stages over the next four years. The minimum wage will increase by RON100 to RON1,350, while the President will have the highest salary, of RON20,250.

The document bans the update of the pensions for magistrates, MPs and diplomats until the law is fully implemented

Thus, the salaries of public sector employees will increase by 32%, including the salary hike in 2015. (Evenimentul Zilei)

 

Liviu Dragnea Mocks PSD Mayors With Special Pensions Law

In an attempt to double-cross the mayors, PSD has modified the law on pensions for local officials, but kept the provision which had been declared unconstitutional by the Constitutional Court. Thus, it has no chance to be approved by the Constitutional Court.

PSD has modified the draft law on special pensions for local officials, following the decision of the Constitutional Court, but did not change the provision declared unconstitutional.

The Constitutional Court admitted that the Parliament has the right to provide special compensations to local officials, with one condition: the compensations should be given to all local officials, not only mayors, deputy mayors, county council presidents and their deputies, but also to local and county counselors. (Adevarul)

 

Romania’s Total Wage Bill At EUR51.7B In 2015

Romania’s total wage bill rose 6% to EUR51.7 billion in 2015, reaching a 31.2% share in the gross domestic products, according to Eurostat data.

Compared with 2014, the total wage bill rose by EUR2.9 billion, on the backdrop of successive salary hikes in the public sector, as well as due to the minimum wage hike in several stages.

The minimum gross wage rose twice last year by 8.3% to RON975/ month in January-July and by 7.7% to RON1,050. (Adevarul)

 

Ludovic Orban Wants Public Apologies From Liviu Dragnea For Presidential Campaign

PNL candidate for Bucharest City Hall, Ludovic Orban, on Sunday asked PSD president, Liviu Dragnea and PSD candidate for Bucharest mayor, Gabriela Firea, for public apologies for the presidential elections campaign.

Orban said that he would boycott the debates if the two PSD representatives refuse to apologize.

“I am warning them that I will not tolerate their usual dirty campaign,” Orban said, mentioning that, during the campaign for presidential elections, PSD criticized PNL and tried to defame Klaus Iohannis for being engaged in child traffic and for not having children, among others.

PSD candidate for Bucharest mayor, Gabriela Firea, replied that Orban is trying to avoid an electoral confrontation with her. (Puterea)

 

Romanians Unaffected By Smoking Ban Legislation - Survey

Romanians seem to be unaffected by the new rules brought by the law banning smoking in enclosed public spaces, according to the latest public opinion barometer – The truth about Romania” carried out by INSCOP Research and ordered by Adevarul newspaper.

Thus, the controversial law is approved by over two thirds of the population. Over 70% Romanians agree with banning smoking in all public spaces, including bars and cafes, while 28% of the Romanians disagree with this measure.

Accordion to INSCOP Research survey, 30% of Romanians are smokers, while 69% are non-smokers. 1% of the respondents said they cannot be included in any of the two categories. (Adevarul)