The finance ministers about the 2024 budget

The 2024 budget bill covers the rise in pensions and the teachers salaries, says the finance minister.

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Roxana Vasile, 05.12.2023, 13:50

Pending the adoption of the countrys 2024 budget, finance minister Marcel Boloş made a series of clarifications repeatedly requested by the parliamentary opposition and the media. He said the funding sources were identified for the 1st January pension increase to adjust to inflation and for the September recalculation of pensions for all public pensions. A decision is still to be taken with respect to the funding for the rise in teachers salaries, Marcel Boloş said:

„The first component of the budget refers to the expenses relating to pensions, both in terms of the adjustment to the inflation rate on 1st January and the recalculation from 1st September, to make sure we have the funding needed for this type of expenses. Secondly, with respect to the teachers salary rights and additional budget expenses, we will reach a final decision on the adjustment and indexation mechanism or the increase in the teachers salaries in the coming days.”

During talks with the Liberal MPs, the finance minister said there would be no further increases in taxes and duties next year and the infrastructure projects for the local communities under the Anghel Saligny programme would continue. As for how the planned additional expenses will be funded, Marcel Boloș recalled that the fiscal-budgetary law adopted at the end of September is to come into force, so his ministry is carrying out the extensive implementation of the anti-fraud measures laid down in that law. He explained that these measures accompanied by digitisation will lead to additional funds to the state budget, to the amount of billions of lei. According to the National Liberal Party, which is in the ruling coalition together with the Social Democrats, the budget bill will be submitted to Parliament by 18th December at the latest and adopted by 22nd December.

Meanwhile, not placing much trust on the governments promises, 70% of Romanians are still waiting for taxes to grow next year, as indicated by the Global Inflation Monitor, a survey conducted in 33 countries, including Romania, by Ipsos market research company. Only 6% of Romanian respondents said they „are living comfortably” and 43% that they are „doing all right”, while 28% „are just about getting by”, 16% are „finding it difficult” and 6% are „finding it very difficult”. (CM)