Romanian minister of Foreign Affairs: Romanian diplomats abroad will be paid in lei to reduce salary costs

For a limited time, Romanian diplomats working abroad will be paid in lei. This is a measure the Romanian Ministry of Affairs (MAE) will take to reduce salary costs by 10-15%, MAE minister Cristian Diaconescu said during the reunion of Romanian diplomats. He’s convinced his colleagues working abroad will understand. He announced that the consular staff will not go through staff cuts, but will put up with transfers from Central Europe in Central Asia, Africa and the Near East.

„We cannot interrupt our foreign accreditation. But we can, at some point, for a limited time and with the accord of our colleagues, to secure the salary in lei for a limited period, managing to reduce the salaries’ fund.” This is Diaconescu’s way to exercise the Government’s will to reduce income spending.

The chief of Romanian diplomacy said this difficult time is not unprecedented. In 1998-1999, the same measure was enforced. According to him, the people understand that Romania is going through a difficult moment are ready to support their country.

The good news is that there will be no staff cuts, but there’s actually a need for an increase of consular employees. Diaconescu says Romania needs to secure state representations in regions where it is currently missing. He reiterated the idea of reducing MAE staff in Occidental Europe and transferring them in area for Romanian interest: Central Asia, Africa and the Near East.