Prime Minister, Viorica Dăncilă, said on Monday that the wages in the health system have increased, as well as those in education, pointing out that these wage increases for state employees will not lead to collapse.
“The wages in the healthcare system have grown, so we have no wage has not increased against 2016. Moreover, on March 1 this year, doctors’ wages have increased by 75-125%,” Viorica Dăncilă said for in Romania TV.
The Prime Minister added that these increases for medical staff were made so that the physicians would not leave the country.
“In education too, the wage increases were quite important,” Viorica Dăncilă added.
Asked whether these wage increases for state employees are likely to lead the country’s economy to collapse, the Prime Minister replied: “No, I have stressed this, I have always emphasized (…) that everything we have done so far is sustainable.”.
Pension increases as of July 1
The Premier said pension increases are envisaged. “We contemplate pension increases as of July 1 this year, the pension point will increase from RON 1,000 to RON 1,100 and the minimum pension will increase from RON 520 to RON 640. There is a schedule for pension increase. In 2019 the pension point will reach RON 1,250 and in 2020 will amount to RON 1,775,” Viorica Dancila said.
In regard to special pensions, PM Dancila said there must be a balance in the system. “I believe we should find balance in the system. I trust the Labour Ministry takes this into consideration. I don’t want to venture and offer solutions until they are grounded, until we have the new final law,” she added.
New blunder
PM Dancila has made a new blunder Monday evening, regarding the preparations for EURO 2020, while trying to explain the former one when she said ‘twenty-twenty’ instead of 2020.
This time the Premier, referring to the stadiums to be rebuilt for EURO 2020, mentioned the 3 stadiums: Dinamo, Rapid and Giulesti (Rapid and Giulesti are the same stadium, the third one was the Arch of Triumph Stadium – our note).
“They will be built. You’ve seen that already three stadiums are being built… Dinamo, Rapid and Giulesti,” Dancila told Romania TV.
As the TV moderator mentions the third stadium, i.e. the Arch of Triumph, PM Dancila enumerates them again: “Dinamo, Giulesti and Arch Triumph” (instead of Arch of Triumph).
Contributions to Pension Pillar II grew in January by 19pc
Prime Minister Dancila denied the information that the contributions to Pension Pillar II have decreased, arguing that in January 2018 these contributions grew by 19.6% against the same period last year.
“The contributions to Pension Pillar II amounted, in January 2017, to RON 493 million and in January 2018 to RON 590 million. So, it is an increase of 19.6%. There are stories that want to lead to uncertainty. It’s all speculation, until we come up with a final version. Anyway, the pensioners will not lose money. Any decision to be made on Pension Pillar II will be well documented and explained,” The Premier said.
Viorica Dancila added that the draft bill on pensions will be debated by Parliament during the autumn session.
Gov’t priorities in H2: Public procurement bill, law on public-private partnership
During the same TV talk-show, PM Dancila enumerated the Government priorities for the second half of 2018: the public procurement bill, the law on public-private partnership, the establishment of Romania’s Trade House, the establishment of the state aid scheme for granting of RON 40,000, interest-free loans, to young people, as well as the enforcing of the programme for people with disabilities.
“In the case of the Trade House, for example, the wheat will be procured at the same price during the entire year, so when a demand for wheat is growing in another country, we will have the necessary quantities to provide the wheat. Furthermore, the Trade House will have storage area, silos, processing units. Hence we will not deliver always the raw material, but a processed product. We will be able to provide wheat but also pastry,” Dancila said.