Head Of Romania’s Energy Watchdog Resigned

His resignation was sent to Prime Minister Calin Tariceanu, government sources told MEDIAFAX.

Olosz decided to resign following his oath on October 8, 2008 as lawmaker within the Magyar Democratic Union, according to all legal procedures, he said Monday evening.

He added his resignation is also “a matter of honor”, following a series of rumors and speculation which were “strangely” simultaneous with the energy watchdog’s decision to leave gas prices unchanged.

“We can speak of a real campaign affecting not only one person or a group of people, but targeting the institution and the stability of the national economy in general. If this campaign is pointed at me, it is my duty to resign and to distance myself from ANRE as institution, which must not be subjected to any kind of speculation. If the campaign eyes the energy authority, than my resignation will help clear the public opinion and certain institutions on the sources and the reasons of such attacks”, Olosz said.

ANRE occupies in the energy sector a similar position to that of the central bank in the financial sector, and that is why it is extremely important that the stability and credibility of the institution be protected, to enable the specialists in the system to carry on their activity in perfect conditions, he added.

Olosz considers the public opinion should not be manipulated by the recent rumors on the salaries of ANRE employees.
“I must say me and my colleagues never had incomes of EUR50,000 per month, as some television stations and newspapers said. I brought documents proving that my incomes were some 20 times smaller. I said in official statements the incomes of the institution’s managers are made public on the website of ANRE,” Olosz said.

He showed his gratitude to all those who cooperated with the energy watchdog, in the energy system, as well as the Governement.

Numerous central dailies wrote the managers of the institution earn fabulous wages, reaching EUR50,000 per month.
President Traian Basescu on Friday criticized the fact that managers of regulatory authorities earn large wages, and drew the attention of the politicians and the unionists involved in the matter to show responsibility and prudence.

Prime Minister Calin Tariceanu on Saturday demanded the head of Chancellery, Dorin Matei, to present a report on the salaries and bonuses earned by managers of the country’s regulatory authorities.

According to the institution, the incomes of the institution’s managers are strictly confidential, as they are not public servants, and therefore are not obligated to notify the public opinion on their wages, as the Labor Code stipulates.

ANRE said the gross wages of its leaders range between 6,787 lei (EUR1=RON3.7685) and RON14,774.

The wages of the Romanian government-run agencies or watchdogs’ heads will not surpass a secretary of state salary, while the salaries of institutions’ employees will be settled according to wage grids instead of negotiations within the organization.

The Ministries of Labor and of Economy and Finances will submit in Tuesday Government meeting a joint notice settling various principles on the wages within the state and government-run institutions, the Government announced.

The wages in the state-run commercial companies shall be subject to proficiency-based indices.

In addition, the wages in the government-run agencies and watchdogs shall be settled based on grids instead of negotiations.