Government cuts support for Defence industry

(story to be published in tomorrow’s issue, March 6)

Only 28,500 employees within the Defence industry, as compared to 70,000 last year, are to continue being granted temporary unemployment aids, as only genuine specialists have been retained within the system, while the rest are to be displaced or placed under unemployment, government advisor Adrian Vasilescu announced on Thursday. At the same time, the Government decided to cut down the period during which the unemployment aid is granted, from 180 to 85 working days per year. The list of beneficiary enterprises was also reduced from 69 to 45 and enterprises kept on the list include 10 enterprises within the Army Arsenal Regie Autonome (subordinated to the National Defence Ministry- MApN), 13 within Romarm National Company (controlled by the Industry Ministry) and 22 (as compared to the previous 46 in 1999) having SOF as a shareholder. The list includes companies such as Aerofina, IOR, Turbomecanica and Faur Bucuresti, Avioane Craiova and IAR Ghimbav. The Executive on Thursday issued this decision after over 7,000 trade union members had asked for their money in a protest march in Bucharest. “Employees within the departments of military planning and research and technical control are protected categories,” Vasilescu also said. Aid will be paid retroactively from January 1 to April 30. By April 15, the Commission coordinating the Defence industry is to draw up an analysis following which other decisions will be made. At the same time, employees of Defence enterprises that have been privatised will no longer receive any money from the budget. “We cannot take into account privatised enterprises. Some employees borrowed money from banks and now are waiting for money from the budget to pay their debts and go private,” Vasilescu explained.