Romanian Govt Approves Bill Cutting Interior Ministry Budget Spending

This year, the ministry has a budget of EUR1.7 billion, 1.38% of the GDP. It says 18,000 employees would be sacked in two stages: 7900 in the first part of the year and, later, 10,000 more. The ministry's staff will be reduced to around 131,000 employees.

According to the sources, the bill was sent to the Parliament for urgent approval.

The Interior Ministry said in December it needs to cut back on staff because Romania has an average 500 police officers, military officers and public servants per 100,000 inhabitants, which is 25% higher than the European Union average.

The ministry submitted a bill for public debate aiming to cut budget spending and listing criteria to cut back on staff numbers.

The bill's substantiation note stated the Government's anti-crisis program, backed by the International Monetary Fund, EU and the World Bank, is meant to reverse economic imbalances and prepare the way for economic revival.

The ministry is to lower its budget spending from 1.74% of GDP (RON8.9 billion) in 2010 to 1.38% of GDP (RON7.5 billion) in 2011, 1.24% of GDP (RON7.4 billion) in 2012 and 1.17% of GDP (RON7.7 billion) in 2013.

The ministry said Romania's public order sector has about 500 workers per 100,000 inhabitants, which is 25% above the EU average of about 400 workers per 100,000 inhabitants.

The ministry also said people to be laid off from the system will benefit from protection measures.

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