Stalled public sector salary reform sparks tension in Moldova
The National Trade Union Confederation of Moldova (CNSM) urged President Maia Sandu and Prime Minister Alexandru Munteanu on Tuesday, June 16, to fast-track public consultations on the country's new public sector salary law.
Unions expressed deep concern over delays in releasing the draft legislation, warning that the limited time remaining before the July parliamentary recess could compromise the quality of the reform.
Union warnings over legislative delays
The CNSM emphasized that an effective and equitable salary system cannot be rushed or drafted without transparency.
Trade union leaders warned that failing to meet the legislative deadlines could trigger social and labor tensions within public institutions.
Government maintains timeline is on track
In response, the Ministry of Finance stated that the new wage bill is in its final stages and will be released for public debate shortly.
State Secretary Maia Sava assured that the initiative aims to eliminate systemic wage discrepancies by introducing a unified salary grid.
The reform also seeks to align the national minimum wage with European Union benchmarks of 40% to 50% of the average economy-wide salary. This adjustment is expected to boost incomes for lower-tier public employees to a baseline target of approximately €350 (approx. 6,860 MDL) per month.
The draft law is scheduled for parliamentary adoption by the end of July and is set to take effect in September. Meanwhile, the CNSM reaffirmed its readiness to contribute to modernizing the public remuneration framework.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
