Romanian PM Wants Wage Bonuses Granted On Performance Criteria Only

The prime minister declined to comment on President Traian Basescu’s recent statements according to which former Finance Minister Gheorghe Pogea kept secret the existence of the system offering bonuses to state employees.

Basescu told Pro TV in an interview Sunday that Boc found out about this system during recent protests staged by Finance Ministry employees.

Employees of the Finance Ministry and fiscal administration authority ANAF went on a spontaneous protest last week, disgruntled they had not received their wage bonuses and incentives for the past two months. Their action quickly spread to branches and offices across the country and thousands of other public sector employees joined demonstrations.

Romania’s Chamber of Deputies Tuesday adopted a government emergency decree regarding the payment of bonuses and incentives in the public sector. The decree, which adds an average level of the bonuses and incentives granted in 2009 to employees’ gross salaries thus raising wages, was adopted with 209 votes in favor, 12 against and 66 abstentions. The finance minister hailed the lawmakers’ vote saying an unfair remuneration system has been corrected.