In its Friday’s sitting, the government in Bucharest adopted the emergency ordinance for the temporary capping of basic food prices.
“By adopting this normative act, the government solves one of the main problems faced by Romanians, namely the increase in the prices of basic foods. We are taking this measure to protect the purchasing power of Romanians with low and medium incomes, who were the most affected by inflation,” said Agriculture minister Florin Barbu.
“For a period of three months, the commercial addition quotas for the products provided in the annex will be limited“, the Minister of Agriculture also pointed out.
Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu said at the beginning of the government meeting that, adopting the GEO “will contribute to increasing the purchasing power of all Romanians”.
At the same time, the PM also announced the approval of a support scheme, worth 600 million euros, for Romanian food producing companies that invest in production technology.
The draft emergency ordinance regarding the establishment of a temporary measure to combat the excessive increase in prices of some agricultural and food products provides that the commercial addition practiced by the processor to the products in question can be a maximum of 20%, compared to the production cost, calculated according to accounting regulations in force. The commercial surcharge applied cumulatively on the entire distribution chain, regardless of the number of distributors on the chain, can be a maximum of 5%, compared to the purchase price to which operational expenses are added.
Also, the draft stipulates that this emergency ordinance applies for a period of 90 days from the date of entry into force.
Health workers’ wages increased
The Executive also approved today an Emergency Ordinance that provides salary increases for all categories of employees in Health and Social Assistance, to the maximum basic salary provided for in the law. “We honor the promise made to the health system“, said Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu before the Government meeting.
According to a press release from the Ministry of Labour, starting from August 1, 2023, medical and sanitary specialist staff, who perform guards on the basis of an individual part-time employment contract for the activity performed in the guard line, and medical and sanitary specialist staff and auxiliary-sanitary, who provide medical assistance, also benefit from a gross monthly allowance, as follows:
- 500 lei for specialist and primary doctors who perform a monthly on-call outside the basic legal norm;
- 1,000 lei for specialist and primary doctors who perform at least 2 shifts per month outside the basic legal norm;
- 500 lei for biologists, chemists and biochemists who perform at least 2 guards per month;
- 500 lei for nurses, licensed radiology and imaging technicians, licensed clinical laboratory nurses, licensed in balneophysiokinetics therapy and recovery, licensed dental nurses, licensed dental prophylaxis nurses, licensed nutrition and dietetics nurses, midwives, medical assistants , medical nurses, regardless of the level of studies.
Also, an allowance between 100 lei and 300 lei per month will be granted for each day worked on weekly rest days, public holidays and on other days when, according to the law, no work is done, for all categories of personnel, except for doctors specialists and mayors and of biologists, chemists and biochemists who perform one or two monthly shifts outside the basic legal norm.