Romanian minister assures no public wage cuts are in sight

Romania's economy minister Virgil Popescu has assured that the ruling Liberal Party (PNL) doesn't plan any wage cuts in the public sector, in response to recent comments by Romania's National Bank's chief economist Valentin Lazea about potential 20% wage cuts.

Romania's budgetary sector employees should work only four days a week and have their wages cut by 20%, BNR chief economist Lazea suggested last week. His comment was circulated by local media and prompted a reaction from BNR - saying that the institution disapproves the opposition Social Democratic Party (PSD) "misquoting certain central bank experts." All BNR's reports and opinions are in its reports publicly available online, BNR said.

However, minister Popescu doubts that Lazea's comments are either misquoted or unrelated to the electoral campaign.

"I do not believe in the innocence of Lazea's statement. As far as I know, Lazea is a disciple of [formerly Social Democrat, currently BNR first deputy governor] Florin Georgescu. Commenting, out of the blue, during the electoral campaign, about cutting wages - even if on own behalf not involving BNR - it seems to me that it is a personal support of Lazea for a possible discussion, for a topic that in my opinion is a misleading topic," the economy minister said, according to Agerpres.

(Photo source: Facebook/Virgil Popescu)