The Minister of Investments and European Projects, Dragoș Pîslaru, says that the package of laws on public administration reform does not represent “a surprise“, but a “natural” approach, discussed for a long time. The official emphasizes that the state must, in turn, contribute to the reduction of the budget deficit by cutting expenses, with savings estimated at 5.7 billion lei per year.
“I think that, in essence, we are not talking about a surprise. This package has been debated for perhaps too long. There is a large part of the population, among Romanians, who would perhaps have wished that these measures, which somehow balance, balance the effort, in this period when we are reducing the budget deficit, between what has already happened, that is, the way in which the private sector has contributed, through tax increases, or individuals, here, this time the state, in turn, is reducing expenses“, said Dragoș Pîslaru, on Wednesday evening, at Euronews Romania, according to News.ro.
The minister explained that, beyond the flexibility that the administration has regarding the concrete way in which the reductions will be made – either through reductions in personnel or from other areas – it is essential that the savings be achieved. “It is natural that in the area of the state apparatus, there should be reductions in public spending”he added.
Target: 5.7 billion lei savings per year
According to Pîslaru, the package of measures aims at savings of approximately 5.7 billion lei per year, with an estimated impact for this year of 3.3 billion lei. Regarding possible exceptions to the obligation of spending reductions, the minister recalled that the measure is provided for in the initial agreement of the governing coalition and is also assumed in the relationship with Romania’s external partners, such as the European Commission and the OECD.
What is happening at the Ministry of European Projects
Referring to his own institution, Dragoș Pîslaru specified that 55% of the salaries of the employees of the Ministry of Investments and European Projects are paid from European funds and that two increments, the food rate and the incentive, have already been eliminated.
“What we are looking at at MIPE is rather an efficiency of the scheme. There will also be a consultation with the union that we have in the ministry. (…) We are looking at whether all the respective positions are needed, there are also contractual positions“, announced the minister.
In this context, Pîslaru emphasized that the objective is not only to reduce expenses in the short term, but also to reorganize the administration to make it more efficient, given the pressures related to the budget deficit and the commitments assumed by Romania at the European and international level.
