Moldovan labour ministry set to increase minimum salary on economy

Chisinau, 11 February /MOLDPRES/ - The Labour, Social Protection and Family Ministry is set to increase the minimum salary on the economy. “Our goal is to make the minimum salary on the economy reach the level of 40 per cent of the average salary on the economy during three years,” Minister Stela Grigoras told a today news conference.
At the conference, Grigoras unveiled priorities of the Labour, Social Protection and Family Ministry for the next 100 days.  
According to the minister, a quota of 25 per cent is planned for the first year. Presently, the minimum salary on Moldova is 1,000 lei (50 euros), while the average salary on the economy is about 4,600 lei.
“Starting from next April, the salaries of the budgetary sector employees will be indexed, proceeding from the annual increase of the consumer prices index for the year before and the rise in salaries itself,” Stela Grigoras said. Also in April, the pensions might be indexed by ten per cent, yet this is not a final decision.  
Stela Grigoras dropped hints that the retirement age would be increased too, and more proposals were analyzed in this respect.  
The jobless people from villages who prove that they are able to create their own business will receive grants from the state, and thus new jobs will be created. Ten information points, meant to reintegrate the Moldovans who returned home, will be set up at the territorial employment agencies. At the same time, the ministry intends to amend and complete the Labour Code, to be adjusted to the requirements of the market economy, as well as in order to transpose the new EU’s directives in line with the requirements provided for in the Association Agreement.    
(Reporter D. Moraru, editor A. Raileanu)