PRIME MINISTER BOC TO "HIGH CLASS" PUBLIC SERVANTS: "You have to choose between pension or salary!"

Prime minister Emil Boc announced on Friday, after the Government"s meeting, that the latter will maintain its stance on the decree which restricts the pensioners working in the public sector from receiving both pensions and salaries.

"The Government will keep and back the Emergency Decree 230/2008 which restricts the cumulation of pensions and salaries in the state sector", Emil Boc further added.

The Prime Minister has stated that in the Government"s opinion, the decree complies with the Constitution, adding that the Government has even issued a statement which will be sent to the Constitutional Court, in reply to the ombudsman"s challenge on the unconstitutionality of the decree.

Emil Boc claimed that the decree does not restrict the right of to work, explaining that people are still allowed to work, after their retirement from the public sector, but if they do, they must work in the private sector.

"It is not normal for a person to receive double benefits from the public sector", stated Boc, who also stressed: "Pension or salary: it"s either one, or the other!".

Moreover, the Prime Minister wanted to further clarify that no summoning of the Parliament was needed for this decree, as the latter was issued before the parliamentary holiday, when the members of the Parliament could vote on the matter, thus there was no need for them to be summoned.

The Prime Minister claimed that the discarding of the cumulation between pensions and salaries in the public sector represents a "moral decision" which will stop "this publicly funded debauchery".

Emil Boc issued examples of people working in diplomacy, justice and "someone" in the Civilian Aeronautical Authority, who have pensions of 14.000 lei, 5.000 lei, and 15.000 lei, respectively, supplemented by wages of 20.000 lei, 15.500, and 16.000 lei respectively, after being hired back.

"We want to correct these inequities and put a stop to this debauchery funded with public money", the Prime Minister stated, who mentioned that the "budget, made up of the taxes paid by everyone is not a bottomless purse".

Boc has added that the persons who opt to receive their pension from the state, will have the option to continue to work, but they will have to do so in the private sector.

Cross-ministry group for European Funds

The Prime Minister Emil Boc has announced the creation of cross-ministry group, which will answer to him, and will monitor and improve the methods of attracting European funding.

Boc explained that this group will encompass all the programs unfolded by the ministries involving European funds, and justified the the creation of this group as Romania is in a bad situation when it comes to attracting European funding".

The Prime Minister emphasized that "attracting European funding will be priority zero for the Government".

Local elections on February 15th

The Ministry of Internal Affairs, in agreement with the representatives of the Government set February 15th as the date when the local elections will be held, in locations where there are mayors who resigned. According to Prime Minister Emil Boc, there are nine towns where this has happened.