Romania’s Chamber of Deputies approved with 168 votes against 79 and 4 abstentions the bill that provides higher wages to mayors, deputy mayors, heads of county councils and their deputies.

The Senate previously passed the bill including all the public servants, including the members of the Parliament - which prompted protests from the opposition reformist party USR.

The Social Democrats (PSD) have quickly moved to gain electoral support and promised to keep the wage hikes only for lower-rank public servants and not MPs. However, the opposition claims that the ruling coalition is incentivising heads of the local administration to remain loyal ahead of the 2024 local elections.

The law passed by the deputies, aimed at clearing Government’s ordinance OUG 115/2022, will bring the public servants’ wages closer to the annual targets set under a public wage bill that has been constantly deferred. 

andrei@romania-insider.com

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