Romania Govt Postpones Meeting On Teacher’s 50% Pay Hike For Next Wk

He said the extraordinary cabinet meeting due for tomorrow morning was postponed because most ministers are not in Bucharest.  

 

“The government meeting was postponed, because most ministers are in the field, as they have scheduled various activities. The executive is due for a meeting on Tuesday (October 28 – e.n.) to discuss the 2009 budget anyway,” Iorgulescu said.

 

The government said earlier Friday will meet in extraordinary meeting tomorrow morning to discuss Basescu’s decision to promulgate the 50% pay hike for staff in the educational system.

 

According to the government, the law will jeopardize economic stability, as other categories of employees in the public sector would demand a 50% wage hike as well.

 

Early October, the Romanian Parliament adopted a 50% wage increase for education system employees. Following the decision, the Government contested the law at the Romanian Constitutional Court, but the Court decided the law was constitutional.

 

Romania’s Economy and Finance Minister Varujan Vosganian said Wednesday that a 50% salary increase for teachers, as recently approved by Parliament, would require funds of RON4.2 billion, or 0.74% of the estimated gross domestic product for 2009.

 

In his opinion, this increase can only be ensured by widening the budget deficit or restricting investments in the education sector.