Romania to Award Bonuses to Mayors

Romanian MPs on Monday backed the new law that will see bonuses handed out to mayors, deputy mayors and county council chairpersons.

The law was adopted with 86 votes in favour and one against. MPs from the second largest party, the Liberals, abstained.

MPs who supported the law said salaries in local administration are low, discouraging talented people from holding office.

"We hope the law will lure experts in various fields to run for posts in the local administration and thus increase the quality and performance at the local level," the speaker of the Senate, Calin Popescu-Tariceanu, said shortly before the vote. 

Anyone charged with corruption will not receive the bonuses.

However the decision attracted criticism that reflected many Romanians' contempt for the political class.

"It is wrong to give special bonuses to people in local administration, as the measure will not help them to be more productive. Public institutions at a local level are mainly inefficient and corrupt, these are the main issues to be addressed," said Marius Tudor, a 43-year-old engineer.

The impact of these extra payments on the state budget has not been officially assessed yet.

The law on bonuses was passed just a week after parliament adopted another law offering generous extra pensions for MPs when they retire.

In November, parliament approved yet another controversial law increasing public-sector wages by 10 per cent from December.

The law was rushed through parliament a day after President Klaus Iohannis asked the former EU Commissioner for Agriculture, Dacian Ciolos, to form a new government in Romania.

Analysts say the law was a populist measure, as it was backed by all political parties a year ahead of the next...