FinMin Teodorovici says gov't seeking precise date to apply minimum wage increases

Finance Minister Eugen Teodorovici said on Sunday evening that in the coming days the government might announce the date when the minimum wage will increase.

"We will see precisely that at the Government level in the coming days; the decision will be taken in the next few days and we will announce it. We night take a government decision as early as next week," Eugen Teodorovici told private broadcaster Antena 3.

Regarding the application of this measure as of November 1, recently circulated in the public space, Teodorovici mentioned that it was just a discussion, saying that the raise will not happen then.

"It will not be November 1 because, as the prime minister has said, we are looking at the government level to see exactly the date from which this increase is applied. It will be no later than January 1, 2019, and the government will look to see if a decision can be taken before January 1, 2019. That was a discussion, we met with representatives of the business community at the Government House, with the prime minister, with other Cabinet colleagues; there, the trade unions said as soon as possible, and the economic community said from January 1, at the latest. The Government is now looking for the optimal date for this decision, " added Teodorovici.

He stressed that the minimum wage would increase together to 2,080 lei for people non-university graduates with less than 15 years of seniority and to 2,350 lei for higher education graduates with over 15 years job seniority.

At the Government House on Tuesday, Prime Minister Viorica Dancila, Labour Minister Lia Olguta Vasilescu and Finance Minister Eugen Teodorovici met with representatives of trade unions and employer's associations, who were introduced to a draft government decision on raising the gross minimum wage to 2,080 lei a month, which means a net increase of 100 lei.

According to a government press statement, the wage will be differentiated according to the level of education and seniority. AGERPRES (RO- author: Constantin Balaban, editor: Mariana Nica; EN - author: Corneliu-Aurelian Colceriu, editor: Rodica State)