Govt. document leaked by Romanian opposition shows public payroll cut considered

Romania’s finance minister Eugen Teodorovici apparently signed and circulated among ministries a letter requesting them to “reduce the number of employees and/or the total salaries," according to a document published on Facebook by opposition MP Vlad Alexandrescu (Save Romania Union - USR).

The document shows that the Finance Ministry has earmarked the funds for the public payroll for each quarter but the money allotted for the last quarter of this year “can not fully cover the payment of salaries.”

“The Finance Ministry can’t agree with the increase in the payroll envelope during the budget rectifications, as this can only be done at the expense of the capital expenditures (investments),” the document signed by Eugen Teodorovici reads.

Subsequently, finance minister Eugen Teodorovici said that there is money for pensions, salaries, and investments for the whole year 2019, but “if public spending can be adjusted reasonably, why not do this?”.

In the context, the former economic advisor of prime minister Viorica Dancila, Eugen Borza, was sacked after only one week exactly for having mentioned the need for streamlining the activity (and expenses) of the public administration.

(Photo source: Pixabay.com)