With a pre-elections pledge to increase the minimum salary to RON 1,000 over the next three years, the Social Liberal Union's Victor Ponta, also Romania's Prime Minister, plans to propose the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to first increase the minimum wage from the current RON 700 to RON 800 ( EUR 155 to EUR 177). The increase should be applied immediately after approving the budget project for 2013, which is being currently discussed by the Romanian Government.

An IMF mission will be in Bucharest between January 15 and 29 for the 7th and 8th review of the agreement with Romania, after having delayed the 7th mission in order to give Romania space for the elections. The main topics for the IMF reviews will be the economy and budget in 2013, structural reforms and monetary policy.

editor@romania-insider.com

(photo source: sxc.hu)