Jiu Valley miners to get 11 million lei in all in back pay

Prime Minister Florin Citu said Wednesday that the government approved the same day a decision under which about 11 million lei will be given to Jiu Valley miners in back pay as regulated under their the collective labour agreement.

"A piece of legislation was approved last week and today we approved a supplement. You know very well that the miners received last year their wages, but did not receive the pay raises in the shape of vouchers and other bonuses that had been regulated under their collective agreement. Because it is an insolvent company, we had to make a separate government decision and find a source; it was approved and it will be published, I think, in the next few minutes to make sure that the money reaches the miners in the Jiu Valley as soon as possible," Citu told a news conference after a government meeting on Wednesday.

He added that the total amount that the miners will receive is 11 million lei.

"Everything that was requested has been met, there is no difference between the amount they justified and what will be in the government decision. (...) These are additional amounts, it is about what I understand that the miners did not receive last year... and they staged this spontaneous protest," said the prime minister at the Government House.