Romanian Agric Min Upped Managers’ Bonuses To 50% Of Wages

Romanian agriculture minister Ilie Sarbu increased in June the bonuses for managers in the ministry and subordinated institutions to as much as 50% of wages, from a previous ceiling of 30%, saying they were no longer willing to do their jobs for the wages they got.

"We’ve increased bonuses because staff started leaving,” Sarbu told MEDIAFAX Friday.

He added that following measures taken by the government in April, when management bonuses in the public sector were lowered, some managers ended up earning 1,700 lei (EUR1=RON4.2036) and the 50% increase in bonuses takes their salaries up to a maximum RON2,500.

"We’ve only increased bonuses for some managers, whose wages were lower than those of their advisers, such as general managers within the ministry and heads of county departments,” Sarbu added.


The government passed an emergency decree on April 11 by which it limited management bonuses for the public sector and increases granted beside basic wages.

The minister also said some managers started winning lawsuits which entitle them to receive the management bonuses that the government scrapped.

Agriculture Ministry secretary general Miron Moldovan said Friday the ministry is cited in 458 lawsuits regarding salary right.

Sarbu also said the money to increase bonuses came from the ministry’s wage fund, which was reduced by about 20% at the state budget revision in April.