Romania spends almost a quarter of its revenues on budgets. 4th place in Europe, ahead of France and Greece

The budgetary apparatus in Romania has reached the 4th place in Europe. Our country is exceeded in terms of the percentage given to salary expenses of budgets only by three countries considered “tax havens”: Cyprus, Malta and Ireland. In 2023, Romania hired 38 new budget workers every day.

France, with a historic trade union culture, or Greece, which had to be saved economically in 2010 due to out-of-control expenses, were surpassed in salary expenses for budget workers by Romania. In our country, 22.2% of the revenues collected by the state go to pay the salaries of budget workers.

Romania is in fourth place in Europe, surpassed only by Cyprus (where 28.9% of revenues are used for the salaries of budget officials), Malta (27.3%) and Northern Ireland (23.4%), writes Ziarul Financiar.

How many budgets does Romania have?

The total number of employees in the state is over 1.3 million employees. Most are employed in local public administration, 280,000. 240,000 teachers and 200,000 employees in the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Defense follow.

In 2023, the year in which the Government said it would not hire the state, the budgetary apparatus increased by 14,000 people, according to INS data, cited by Europa Liberă. The figure is equivalent to 38 new budget officers hired every day last year, in the conditions where the filling of vacant or temporarily vacant positions by competition or examination was “frozen”.

Salary increases for budget officers in 2024

Amid strikes that began last year, teachers, police, health unions and magistrates have won pay rises, while Romanian Post and museum workers are currently protesting for pay rises.

The Ciolacu government’s 2024 budget includes an 11% salary increase. After the first 3 months of the year, spending almost doubled to 20%.