Strikes hit Romania's Finance Ministry

Strikes hit Romania's Finance Ministry

2010-10-14 20:30:42 GMT+7 (ICT)

BUCHAREST, ROMANIA (BNO NEWS) -- Romanian Finance Ministry employees took the streets in protests after deciding to enter on strike following bonus cuts.

The spontaneous protests began Wednesday on the Ministry's hallways, and at one moment, local media reported that around 4,000 workers were gathered in protests. On Thursday morning, at around 6 a.m. local time, union leader Vasile Marica said there were still around 350 employees protesting in the institution.

Due to the strikes, the ministry's activities will be blocked, but government policy will unlikely change.

Prime Minister Emil Boc declared in an interview for the public television TVR 1 that bonuses should be offered based on performance. Finance minister Gheorghe Ialomitianu also declared after negotiations that bonuses will be offered based on performance criteria and to those who decrease fiscal evasion.

In addition, those who exceed their tasks are entitled to receive bonuses.

Romania is the European Union's second-poorest member and is facing a moment of strong recession. The government cut all civil servants' salaries by 25 percent this summer and raised the rate of value-added tax from 19 to 24 per cent in a bid to reduce its budget deficit and maintain itself within the International Monetary Fund terms for a 20 billion euro bailout.

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