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Romanian Interior Min Cuts Employees’ Food Benefits, Unionists Threaten Protests

Romanian Police unionists on Thursday threatened they will stage protests over the Interior Ministry’s decision to reduce their food benefits to 130 lei (about EUR30) from RON720.
Romanian Interior Min Cuts Employees’ Food Benefits, Unionists Threaten Protests
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02 iun. 2011, 13:17, English

After the RON550 cut, Interior Ministry employees’ monthly wage will not exceed RON1,200.

Pro Lex union leader Vasile Lincu said the ministry confirmed the measure, citing the lack of funds needed to pay the respective benefits.

Lincu mentioned Law 69/2010 which states that, in order to stay within its approved budget, the ministry must adjust optional bonuses. He said the measure, which was taken by the ministry’s Financial Department and signed by Interior Minister Traian Igas, will affect all ministry employees, namely over 100,000 people.

Ministry spokesman Marius Militaru told MEDIAFX Thursday the food benefit cut will be applied only in June and the money will be entirely recovered in July. According to Militaru, the measure was taken as the ministry had to stay within the budget allotted for the first half of the year.

As the bill on layoffs in the ministry did not pass the Parliament last month, Igas said in May other means would be employed to restructure the ministry. He added employees’ salaries would be cut by 30% in December.

Prime Minister Emil Boc called for checkups in the ministry regarding the formula calculating salaries. Inspections were started on May 19.