UDMR President Kelemen Hunor states that the new salary law is unlikely to reach Parliament this week and most likely not even next week. He cites blockages in negotiations regarding education income and the lack of a funding source for the proposed increases.
The UDMR leader says that the project cannot be supported in its current form as long as there is a risk that certain categories of employees may lose income, and it is not clear where the additional costs will be covered from.
"To pass it this week (chances - editor's note) zero, to pass it next week also close to zero. So, I believe maybe in August. In healthcare, it can be resolved in a few days, there are intense negotiations. In the education sector, there are very serious problems. I don't see how it will be resolved there because, despite the good intentions of those who prepared this project, we cannot accept any decrease in income for any socio-professional category in education," Kelemen Hunor stated.
He emphasized that UDMR will not accept the new law leading to reduced incomes in education or healthcare.
"It cannot come to a point where you have a new law and education and healthcare suffer. I'm talking about the two major systems (...) and we will not accept it in any way. So, we still need discussions there," the UDMR leader said.
UDMR demands explanations for the extra 4 billion lei
Kelemen Hunor warned that the estimated budgetary impact of the project has significantly increased compared to the version initially discussed within the coalition. "Today, we are talking about 12.1 billion. And when I asked my colleagues in the Government two weeks ago, the Prime Minister, first of all, where we will cover this additional 4 billion from, I received no answer," he stated.
According to the UDMR leader, reducing investments, layoffs, or increasing taxes are not acceptable solutions to cover the difference.
"We cannot vote on a salary law where there is no coverage for the 4 billion. That's why I say, this week, it's out of the question for the salary law to come, and next week, I don't think it will come," Kelemen Hunor declared.
He added that, in addition to the costs of the new law, next year's budget will also have to cover the payment of salary rights won in court by magistrates, an amount that could reach approximately 6 billion lei.
About the healthcare protests
Asked about the strike announced by the Sanitas Federation, Kelemen Hunor expressed hope that the protest will be postponed, given that negotiations are ongoing, and the bill has not yet been endorsed by the Government.
He insisted that before the law is sent to Parliament, simulations must be carried out for all categories of staff so that no employee experiences income decreases.