Prima pagină » English » Romanian PM Accused Of Lying, Using Education Money As Electoral Bribe

Romanian PM Accused Of Lying, Using Education Money As Electoral Bribe

Romania’s Education Federation, or FEN, on Tuesday accused Premier Calin Popescu Tariceanu of lying about insufficient funds to grant salary hikes in education, as the government used at its budget revision a financial surplus from education as “electoral bribe” to fund other sectors.
Romanian PM Accused Of Lying, Using Education Money As Electoral Bribe
25 nov. 2008, 20:41, English

“After Tariceanu refused salary hikes in education under the pretext that there is no money, after he misinformed and instigated the public opinion against the staff in education (…), today he found out a financial surplus in the education budget fit to use as electoral bribe. Thus, 570 million lei (EUR1-RON3.7933) is being distributed at the fourth negative revision of the education budget to sectors that might add to the image of the ruling parties, gaining them a few extra votes. Through this (budget) revision, the government admits that we have been lied to and that the budget included the necessary funds to enforce the Law 221/2008 (that stipulates a 50% pay hike for teachers – e.n.) as of October 1,” the Federation said in a statement.
 
On Tuesday, the Romanian government approved this year’s fourth state budget revision, keeping deficit unchanged at 2.3% of the GDP.
 
The revision included cost cuts exceeding RON2 billion from 18 ministries and public institutions, with resulting funds to be mainly redirected to the Labor Ministry for pensions and state aids.
 
The Education Ministry’s budget was subject to a cut of RON570 million.
 
The Romanian authorities recently postponed until April next year a parliament decision stipulating 50% salary hikes for education staff, on insufficient funds and potential devastating consequences for the Romanian economy.