Radu Miruţă announces that Metrorex employees' salaries have been paid / The Government approved the company's budget

Metrorex employees’ salaries were paid after the government approved a new version of the company’s budget on Friday. Interim Economy Minister Radu Miruță says the approved version reduces Metrorex’s losses by 100 million lei and does not provide for an increase in ticket prices.

Miruță announced that the money had been deposited into employees’ accounts after he repeatedly rejected previous versions of the budget. According to the minister, those versions projected large losses, including a loss higher than the one recorded last year.

The company’s financial crisis prompted warnings last week from the Unit of the Free Subway Trade Union. Union members said that, in the absence of funds to pay salaries, subway services could be suspended starting on the 16th. They claimed that approximately 3,000 lei remained in Metrorex’s accounts.

The minister says Metrorex can recover revenue from enforcement penalties, competitive advertising contracts, the rental of commercial spaces, and the operation of parking lots and buildings. These issues are outlined in a report drawn up following an inspection at the company. Miruță says fare increases should be considered only after all available revenue sources have been identified.