Price Ceiling For Compensated Drugs To Be Raised For Pensioners With Up To RON700 Income
Pensioners whose retirement income does not exceed RON700 per month will see a 10% increase in the reference price ceiling or prescription of compensated drugs, namely, from the current RON300 prescription per month, to RON330.
The provision adopted Wednesday through government decision will become effective starting October 1. The normative acts also sets that, as of October 1, 17 types of medicines that are no longer included in the national and international therapeutic practice guidelines will be excluded from the list of drugs which includes the International Common Denominations (ICDs) corresponding to medicines for people insured in the public healthcare system, with or without personal contribution, as well as the medicines granted within the national health programs. (Romania Libera)
Government Targets Semestrial Increase In Minimum Wage
Romanian Prime Minister Victor Ponta said the government has prepared a strategy targeting the semestrial increase in the minimum wage starting 2016.
“On January 1, 2016, there will be RON1,200 (the minimum wage – e.n.) and the plan is to raise it to RON1,300 as of July 1, 2016 and to RON1,400 as of January 1, 2017,” said Ponta. (Evenimentul Zilei)
Social Democrat Head Says New Public Sector Wage Law Will Include Gradual Salary Hikes
The leader of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), Liviu Dragnea, told an interview for Europa FM that the new wage law for public sector employees will include “gradual” salary increases for all social categories.
Dragnea said each social category will enjoy the planned wage increases at the same time.
He added that Labor Minister Rovana Plumb assured the bill will reach the government by October 1 and the Parliament by October 15 at the latest. (Romania Libera)
UNPR Proposes Granting 13th Pension
The National Union for Romania’s Progress (UNPR), run by Gabriel Oprea, has proposed granting the 13th pension.
The bill put forward by UNPR will amend law 263/2010 regarding the unitary public pension system. If the bill proposed by UNPR is adopted, the 13th pension will be granted annually to people whose pensions are below the gross median wage and have no other income.
UNPR senator Constantin Popa said early August, when he first talked about the bill that 5.2 million out of a total 5.8 million pensioners, have pensions below RON1,500. (Adevarul)
Liberals Want More MPs For Citizens In The Diaspora
The National Liberal Party (PNL) has put forward a bill doubling the number of lawmakers for Romanian citizens in the diaspora.
Liberal lawmaker Alina Gorghiu told a press conference that the bill targets a fair and democratic representation of all Romanian citizens in Parliament.
The bill increases the number of senators for the diaspora from two currently to four and the number of deputies from four to eight. (Puterea)