Romanian government plans hiking minimum wage to RON 1,000 from 2014

Newsroom 14/08/2013 | 10:22

The government is considering hiking the minimum wage for public sector workers by a quarter to RON 1,000 (EUR 225) starting next year, with PM Ponta stating this could happen only if the big public sector wages will be slashed.

The wage increase will be included in the wage bill that should be enforced starting next year. At present, around 1.2 million people receive their paycheck from the state.

“I wish the minimum wage in the public sector to be hiked to RON 1,000 and the maximum wage to reach RON 7,000 (EUR 1,500) in the 2014 budget, and within the wage fund the credit manager to have greater flexibility in paying a fixed rate and performance rate, because at present we pay them all the same,” said PM Ponta in a broadcasted appearance on Tuesday evening.

He said the biggest wages should be allotted to the president and the two presidents of the Parliament Houses.

Romania has the second lowest minimum wage in Europe of EUR 179, according to a study by Eurostat published earlier this week. Bulgaria comes last in Europe with a minimum wage of EUR 159. Luxembourg reported the biggest minimum wage of EUR 1,874.