Nedelcu said clear decisions will be taken in November, when leaders of pensioners’ federations will meet for talks. He added that freezing pensions next year violates the current legislation.
The law says pensions must be raised next year by 100% compared to inflation and 50% of the gross average salary raise.
According to a working draft of next year’s budget, Romania’s Government might freeze salaries and pensions at least until the second half of 2012, and evaluate the economic figures at the end of June to see whether raises are possible in the rest of the year.
Whether salaries and pensions can be raised in the second half depends on the official revenue projection at that point, people close to the matter told MEDIAFAX.
According to these sources, the European Commission has “unofficially” suggested the budget should be based on economic growth of 2% of the GDP and a deficit below 3%, taking into account the losses of state-owned enterprises.
A joint mission of the International Monetary Fund, the European Commission and the World Bank will be in Bucharest until November 7 to review Romania’s progress under a EUR5.4 billion loan agreement signed in April. The talks with Romanian authorities will focus on next year’s state budget and restructuring state-owned enterprises.
Government sources said last week that the negotiations on the 2012 state budget will start from a forecast for economic growth of 2.3-2.5% and a budget deficit of 3% of the GDP.
Last year, the Government decided to reduce salaries in the public sector by 25%, as of July. In January 2011, the base salaries were raised by 15% compared to October 2010, meaning they are currently 13.75% lower than in June 2010.