Dragoș Pîslaru announced that over two-thirds of employees in health will benefit from salary increases, excluding the possibility of income reductions.

Dragos Pîslaru, the interim Minister of Labor, stated that over two-thirds of employees in the healthcare sector will benefit from salary increases, emphasizing that no decrease in income will occur through the new salary law.

“The truth is that no income, attention, no salary income will be able to decrease through this salary law. This is a principle that has been agreed upon with the political parties and is a very clear protection that has evolved to this moment, and I can tell you without any hesitation that there is no question of decreasing anyone's income in the healthcare sector,” said the minister.

He dismissed information about salary reductions as false and explained that the protests by the unions are caused by their desire to obtain larger increases.

Pîslaru mentioned that 2.5 billion lei are allocated for the healthcare sector, and the number of employees who will not benefit from increases could drop below 15% through adjustments to the bonus regulations.

“If we continue to work as agreed for the bonus regulations and for the variation depending on the hospital unit, this percentage related to the people who will not necessarily have an increase in income can drop below 15%. Thus, as long as we work together and do not protest without coming to dialogue, we can truly help the people in the healthcare system. And that is a reality we must tell the people in the healthcare system,” stated Pîslaru.

He also ruled out delaying the salary law, arguing that Romania cannot afford additional expenses that would affect economic stability:

“Romania cannot afford to spend more than 12 billion lei at this moment for the salaries of the public sector. It is a reality.”

The minister announced that he will resume negotiations with the unions to clarify the granting of bonuses and ensure that on-call duties and shifts will not be affected.