New wage law to enter public debate in Moldova in next September; government promises fairer pay system

The government in next September will present the draft of the new wage law for the public sector for consultations and public debate. The document aims to bring more transparency to salary setting, reduce discrepancies between employees who hold similar positions and provide salary increases for certain priority areas. Prime Minister Vasile Tofan has made statements to this effect at a programme broadcast at TV8.

According to the PM, almost 200,000 people work in the public sector and there are currently pay differences that cannot be justified by job responsibilities.

“We have a very large number of employees in the public sector, almost 200,000 people, and at present it is not always clear why people who hold the same positions have very different salaries. For example, a chief engineer in one institution or state-owned company may have a radically different salary from another chief engineer who holds the same position,” said Vasile Tofan.

The prime minister noted that the new law aims to eliminate these discrepancies and create a clearer and fairer pay system.

“The goal of the new wage law is to bring more transparency regarding these differences and salary scales,” the PM said.

At the same time, the draft law will include measures to correct wage imbalances, by increasing incomes in sectors considered a priority.

“Another goal of this law is to correct these imbalances, mainly by increasing salaries in certain sectors, such as education, health and internal affairs,” Vasile Tofan emphasized.

The prime minister noted that the draft is a complex one, consisting of several hundred pages and that the authorities are currently working on finalizing it.

“We are currently working on this draft law. I believe we will finalize it soon, and in September it will be presented for consultations and public debate,” the prime minister said.

According to Vasile Tofan, the wage reform aims to create a more transparent and equitable remuneration system for public sector employees, by reducing wage discrepancies and adjusting incomes in areas where they are considered insufficient.