New LabMin Violeta Alexandru announces ministry overhaul, serious checks on pensions budget

Freshly installed Labor Minister Violeta Alexandru announced the downsizing of the ministry as well as serious checks on the situation of the pensions budget, given that according to her, the Social Democrat rule has left it with a worrisome deficit. Violeta Alexandru said on Tuesday morning, upon stepping into the Labor Ministry premises, that the institution's staff tasked with liaising with retirees and employees must be well trained, adding that she is planning to trim the structure of the ministry. According to her, in the overhauled formula the personnel dealing with the relationship with social assistance beneficiaries will have an important role. "I assure you that I will be very transparent about everything I find in the ministry, for the Romanians to know," Alexandru said according to broadcaster Digi24. The new LabMin also announced the establishment within short of an infokiosk for everyone interested to be informed about all the types of services offered by the institution. "This will be a single point of information for everyone who has requests and questions of any kind for the ministry. We are trying to simplify their trips so that they get all the information they need in one place," Violeta Alexandru emphasized. She also pointed out that the first thing she will do once she enters the ministry will be to go to the petitions office to learn about the kind of incoming requests, but also about the answers given to the petitioners. As concerns the national minimum wage, the new minister announced that a series of talks will take place in the next period with the social partners for identifying the best solution to calculate it. Regarding the Wage Law and the Pensions Law, the Labor Minister said that the provisions in force will be observed and dialogue with all social partners will be continued for identifying the most suitable solutions for Romania and its retirees and workers. AGERPRES (RO - editor: Andreea Marinescu; EN - author: Simona Klodnischi, editor: Simona Iacob)