Romanian Govt, Unionists Talks Digress From Original Topic-Labor Min

The issue of lower contributions was never brought up, not even by the unionists, Pacuraru said at the end of the meeting, mediated by President Traian Basescu, seeking to amend the 2008 budget law.

He said the government officials were “extremely attentive to the requests of the unionists, even if they already knew their demands.”

However, minister of economy and finance Varujan Vosganian said the meeting was pointless, as the 2008 state and social insurance budgets have already been promoted and the unionists’ requests were taken into account.

The two budgets already include provisions that refer to unionists’ requests regarding certain funds of the state insurance budget and payments for certain “services some companies provide within pension funds.”

 “The rest of the meeting focused on issues regarding the sustainability of the pension fund and dynamics of the labor market, and the participants decided to carry on consultations in the field between the government, employers’ associations and unions,” Vosganian said, mentioning the first conclusions of the consultations should be presented in 30 days.

He said the consultations will include issues such as the list of professions Romania’s employment agency AOFM might finalize in view of professional reorientation of the unemployed, certain measures to support those who wish to change their professions, as well as the issue of sustainability of the pension system.