Nicușor Dan, on the minimum wage increase: “It is possible that thousands of people will lose their jobs”

President Nicușor Dan stated, on Friday, in Iași, that a possible increase in the minimum wage should take into account the risk that some economic activities become uncompetitive due to labor costs. At the same time, he showed himself willing to mediate between the social partners on this subject.

Nicușor Dan mentioned that the European directive on the minimum wage was contested at the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), and the deadline for the ruling was set in November, during the period in which the Government will have already entered into the preparation of the state budget for 2026.

In addition to the uncertainty related to the obligations that Romania would have, as a member of the European Union, Nicușor Dan says that the social partners – Government, unions, employers – should have a discussion on the opportunity to increase the minimum wage.

“Obviously everyone wants higher wages. On the other hand, it is possible that, by forcing a minimum wage that is too high, certain activities will become uncompetitive in Romania and hundreds or thousands of people will lose their jobs. To the extent that my person is needed to mediate, I am available,” said Nicușor Dan.

Increasing the minimum wage according to the obligations mentioned in the European directive is a new topic of controversy in the coalition. The increase is supported by the social democrats, the former Minister of Finance Adrian Câciu stating that “PSD strongly supports the increase of the minimum gross salary from January 1, 2026”.

The interim president of the PSD, Sorin Grindeanu, said that he spoke with the European commissioner Roxana Mînzatu, about a freeze on the minimum wage, as the prime minister Ilie Bolojan wants, and she told him that he was entering an infringement zone, but that he would try to have a discussion with the prime minister and look for a solution.

Instead, Finance Minister Alexandru Nazare stated that an increase in the minimum wage would negatively influence the competitiveness of the Romanian economy and put even greater fiscal pressure on small companies.

“From my point of view, we cannot afford to raise the minimum wage, today, and we should not raise it. When we have a very clear diagnosis in the coalition, we will announce this, but as an attitude, as a direction, this is my point of view, because we still have to think a little about the competitiveness of Romania's economy”, declared Nazare.