An agriculture minister in Romania makes EUR 3,000 a month, just as an assistant at the European Commission, said the current agriculture minister Achim Irimescu.

He was in Timisoara on Friday, where he participated in the opening of the new academic year at Banat University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine.

During his speech, the minister told the students that the TV channels should show more people who have succeeded in their careers “from the bottom up,” giving himself as an example: “I come from an average family of shepherds, and I became a minister.”

The minister also talked about the importance of agriculture, and about Romanians, who, in his opinion, are very smart people but tend to not “get things through,” reports local Mediafax.

“We started building highways, but we didn’t finish them. I’m sorry, as a minister, that Romania fails to use to its full potential this free reserve of brains from universities in the country, which can do wonders if properly encouraged.”

Irimescu also urged the students to remain in Romania after they finish their studies, giving them some examples of salaries. For example, those who choose to work in the research area could get a starting salary of RON 3,000 (EUR 675).

“Well paid jobs can also be found at the two payment agencies we have, where the salary starts at RON 1,800 (EUR 400) and can go up to EUR 1,000 in a few years,” he said.

“There are some directors who make more money than a minister, and the minister has a reasonable salary for Romania. An assistant at the European Commission makes a salary of EUR 3,000, the same as a minister of agriculture in Romania, but let’s not comment on that,” the minister added.

He also encouraged the students to try to open their own businesses.

A recent study revealed that university graduates in Romania would want their first job to bring them a monthly salary of RON 2,200 (some EUR 495), and a weekly work program that doesn’t exceed 40 hours.

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Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Ministerul Agriculturii și Dezvoltării Rurale on Facebook)