Romanian Govt Considers Ordinance To Block Teachers’ Pay Hike – Min

“We have not discussed a concrete legal modality yet (to block the law – e.n.), but generally, this is the dominant stance, at least in the Government,” Melescanu said.

Melescanu said the government will convene next week to discuss the 50% wage hike granted to teachers and its economic impact.

“Once the president’s decree to promulgate the law is published in the Official Gazette, we will convene and see what it can be legally done in the matter,” Melescanu mentioned.

Premier Calin Popescu Tariceanu called for an emergency cabinet meeting for Saturday morning to decide what to do about the law raising teachers’ wages.

However, Culture Minister Adrian Iorgulescu said Friday the meeting was postponed for next week because most ministers were 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.

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.

The Romanian head of state Friday announced he promoted the law.

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.