As of 26 November, there will be no more money to pay pensions, allowances and other compensations, including energy bills, for the month of December, if the Ministry of Finance does not approve an increase in the ministry’s budget of almost 3 billion lei, according to a Labour Ministry document obtained by Economedia.
Interim Labour Minister Raluca Turcan previously criticised sacked Prime Minister Florin Cîțu, saying he was willing to play poker even with pension money.
A Labor Ministry document obtained by Economedia shows that the institution has asked the Ministry of Finance, headed by Dan Vîlceanu, a close friend of Florin Cîțu, since 12 November to supplement the budget in order to pay pensions, allowances, salary rights and compensation for energy bills.
The ministry has requested 2.8 billion lei by the 25 November deadline to pay benefits for December, the holiday month. The institution says that if the budget is not replenished by that date, the payment deadlines may not be met, i.e. 1-15th of the month for pensions, no later than the 5th of each month for allowances and child-raising rights.
Recall that in the previous budget adjustment in August, Labor Ministry’s budget was cut by almost 2.8 billion lei, by reducing by 3.3 billion lei the subsidy from the state budget to the social security budget, which the Ministry said reflects the increase in revenue collected from employee contributions.