Prime minister Ilie Bolojan, who also serves as president of the Liberal Party (PNL), stated on November 4 that, at the meeting of the party’s National Political Bureau the same day, support was renewed for resolving the issue related to special (magistrates’) pensions this month, but also for the reform in public administration, according to News.ro.
Both topics reached a deadlock after the Constitutional Court rejected the magistrates’ pensions law and the Social Democrats (PSD) rejected PM Bolojan’s plans to reduce employment in the public administration.
The magistrates’ pensions law seems stuck, as the Social Democrats insist on some committees involving magistrates’ representatives to address supposed issues of the bill, while Ilie Bolojan wants the bill promoted as it is once the Superior Council of Magistracy (CSM) issues that opinion, spotted by the Constitutional Court as missing. Reportedly, Bolojan would accept prolonging the transition period (towards a higher retirement age of magistrates) to make the bill a bit more constitutional, but insists on capping magistrates’ pensions at 70% of their last net wage.
Romania will lose EUR 230 million PNRR funding unless it meets the special (magistrates’) pensions milestone by November 28.
Furthermore, PM Bolojan pledged to implement more budget measures in November, with an impact on the budget, such as to be included in the 2026 budget planning that would be drafted “after November 13 EcoFin, towards the end of the month,” according to finance minister Alexandru Nazare.
Some progress was achieved on the local administration streamlining as the ruling coalition on its November 4 meeting reportedly agreed to cut the employment by 10% – the equivalent of 13,000, according to Mediafax, as reported by Ziarul Financiar.
Development minister Cseke Attila is set to come up with the draft law in front of the coalition members next week. The same sources said that the final decision will be made at that time, and most likely the public administration law will be promoted by the government in Parliament by accelerated procedure not involving a vote on the bill itself but possibly triggering a no-confidence vote against the government.
iulian@romania-insider.com
(Photo source: Gov.ro)
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