CHISINAU, Oct 20 The Parliament of Moldova has made adjustments to the state budget for the current year in the second reading, which imply a decrease in income and expenses by more than $27 million, the press service of parliament reports.
The adjustments to the state budget were adopted by deputies at night after considering a vote of no confidence in the government of Prime Minister Dorin Recean, the process of which lasted almost ten hours in total. Providing a report on the work of the government took more than seven hours; representatives of all ministries spoke from the parliament rostrum, in addition to the prime minister himself. As a result, the opposition bloc of communists and socialists, which put forward a vote of no confidence, did not have enough votes to dismiss the government.
“Amendments have been made to the Law on the State Budget for 2023 and to the Law on the Unified Wage System in the Public Sector to include the measures provided for in the “Growth for Moldova” package announced by the government. Taking into account these changes, the state budget for 2023 is reduced in terms of revenue and expenses of 497.9 million lei ($27.4 million),” said a statement published on the parliament’s website.
According to the information note, the identified savings were redirected to economic and social programs, as well as to the implementation of new measures intended for public sector employees. The package involves increasing wages and one-time payments for certain categories of workers, for which 846.9 million lei ($46.6 million) will be allocated.
Thus, the salaries of doctors and nurses in budgetary institutions will be increased by 15% and an increase will be provided — up to 75% of the annual base salary. Teachers of all educational institutions will receive a one-time payment of 5 thousand lei ($275), and non-teaching staff — 3 thousand lei ($165). Police officers and carabinieri of the Ministry of Internal Affairs will receive a one-time payment of 5 thousand lei ($275). At the same time, the salaries of about 1.7 thousand people in the cultural sector will increase by an average of 25%.
In addition, 100 million lei ($5.5 million) will be allocated for agriculture, as well as for the repair and maintenance of roads, 400 million lei ($22 million) for rural and urban development projects and for the European Village program. , 86 million lei ($4.7 million) — for forest development. Another 352 million lei ($19.3 million) will be used to cover the costs of electricity and heat consumed by schools, kindergartens, hospitals and other budgetary institutions.