Minister of Labour: The Pay Reform Will Not Affect Pensions and Allowances in the Public Sector

The interim Minister of Labour, Dragoș Pîslaru, has provided important clarifications regarding the impact of the new pay legislation on all beneficiaries within the public sector, including pensioners and elderly people receiving various forms of social support.

The official emphasised that the reform will not negatively affect any type of income within the public sector: "It is essential to understand that no employee or beneficiary in the public sector will see their income reduced as a result of this reform. This includes all forms of social support intended for senior citizens."

The Ministry of Labour acknowledges that the initial draft has raised legitimate concerns amongst various categories of beneficiaries, including organisations representing the rights of older people. Pîslaru noted that some of the criticism is justified and that the draft will be improved following public consultations.

The reform aims to simplify the complex pay structure in the public sector by eliminating 87 of the 151 supplementary allowances currently in existence. This overhaul of the system could also have a positive impact on the way in which pensions and other social benefits for elderly people are calculated and paid.

The Minister clarified that the primary objective is not to increase salaries, but to create a fairer and more transparent system for distributing income across the public sector. This approach could contribute to greater long-term predictability within the pension and social benefits system.

For senior citizens and pensioners, these clarifications are significant, as many of the services they rely upon are publicly funded and administered by state institutions. The stability of the public sector pay system can directly influence the quality of social and medical services available to older people.