The government approved wage increases and hiring at 47 companies. What are the advantaged employees?

The government approved, in Thursday's meeting, a memorandum by which for 47 economic operators the salary increase of employees or the filling of vacant positions, as well as the establishment of new positions, was approved.

Targeted are companies subordinated, coordinated or under the authority of local public administration authorities in 22 counties that operate in the following fields: water-sewer (29 companies), sanitation (4 companies), transport (10 companies), to which is added an industrial park, two airports (Cluj and Iasi) and the Ocna Mureș Treatment Base.

The list of companies can be accessed below:

According to a statement from the Government, the financial impact is 168.7 million lei, but it will not encumber the state budget, being companies that finance themselves from their own revenues:

• 83.1 million lei represent wage increases within the maximum limit of the average price increase index forecast for 2026 (43 operators, 49.3% of the total);
• 66.4 million lei represent expenses related to the 1,241 vacant positions that will be filled (33 operators, 39.4% of the total);
• 18.3 million lei represent related expenses for 376 newly established positions (11.2% of the total)

“The expenses related to the proposed measures are to be reflected in the revenue and expenditure budgets of the economic operators, in accordance with the law, in compliance with the applicable framework regarding financial discipline and corporate governance of public enterprises”, says the press release from the Victoria Palace.

The salary increases were approved based on the provisions of Article XXXVI of GEO 89/2025 which provides, among other things:

“In 2026, economic operators who apply the provisions of Government Ordinance No. 26/2013, approved with additions by Law No. 47/2014, with subsequent amendments and additions, may increase salary expenses compared to the level achieved in 2025 with the amounts representing increases in salary expenses related to the maximum average price increase index forecast for 2026, based on a thoroughly justified analyses, after approval by the Government through a memorandum. Increases can be granted starting from the month following the approval of the memorandum and cannot exceed the monthly level of this index”

Economic operators who can request the approval of the Government must not register losses and overdue payments on December 31, 2025 and do not anticipate losses and overdue payments in 2026. If there are companies with losses and overdue payments, they can request increases on the condition that for 2026 they provide for the reduction of the losses realized on December 31, 2025 by at least double the amounts programmed for the increase in salary expenses.