Ministers' salaries are the real issue

The small salaries paid to ministers are the real issue, and not the remuneration of the National Bank of Romania’s Governor, which, contrary to President Ion Iliescu’s statements, does not exceed 20 times the salary of a minister, Adrian Vasilescu, advisor to the NBR Governor stated on Sunday.

“I think the real issue at stake is not the Governor’s salary, but the ministers’,” Vasilescu stated.

During a TV show, Iliescu spoke about the gaps between salaries received by employees of certain sectors, comparing the salary of a minister with that of the NBR governor, which is 20 times higher.

“Foreign banks appeared. We were not able to maintain the salaries in the banking sector at the level of year 1990. At that time, the highest salary within the banking sector was that of the NBR governor, who was compared to a minister and had a minister’s salary. Today, the NBR governor’s salary is 20 times the salary of a minister,” Iliescu said.

The President also spoke about the salaries of other “low-rank bank employees,” which are higher than those received by ministers and MPs. “This is not bad. But is it wise to create such gaps within a society? What is the difference? Does a minister have less responsibility not only than the governor, but also than a bank employee? No, he doesn’t. I have all the respect in the world for the banking sector employees, but they are well-paid, because otherwise they would flee the Romanian banks for the foreign ones,” Iliescu added.

Mugur Isarescu’s advisor recalled the fact that, back in 2000, Isarescu was Prime Minister for one year and tried to persuade “renowned economists” to work for the Government. Many of them refused, saying they cold be better paid if they got a job in the private sector.