PM Orban: The public sector should take over a part of the burden during crisis

Prime Minister Ludovic Orban on Thursday asked the Government to analyze the Government Emergency Ordinance that says public employees should work half a month, while the other half of month they should be placed under a form of furlough.

"I ask you to analyze the Government Emergency Ordinance draft initiated by Mr Minister Violeta Alexandru. I believe that we should show solidarity in such situations. We all need to take over a part of the burden generated by the crisis caused by this epidemic. There are more than 1.5 million employees in the private environment right now, plus those who work as freelancers, have their own small businesses or practice a liberal profession. Basically, we cannot leave the whole burden of this crisis on their shoulders, which is why we decided, together with the Minister of Labour and the Minister of Finance, to find a solution so that the public sector too will take over part of the burden, as a form of solidarity," said Orban, at the beginning of the Government meeting.

He mentioned he chose this version including "out of epidemiological reasons," to reduce the risk of spreading the novel coronavirus.

"Employees in the public institutions will be divided into halves - every office, department - so that to ensure the functionality of the institutions, ministries, agencies, authorities, mayoralties, county councils. Half of the employees will work for 15 days and the other half the rest of 15 days, meaning 10 business days. Basically they will work ten days and be under a form of furlough the other ten days," explained the Prime Minister.