Culture minister: I have proposed that at least in museums and libraries we attempt a salary increase

Culture Minister Raluca Turcan told AGERPRES in an interview that culture has been chronically underfinanced and that salary inequalities between entertainment institutions and museums or libraries must be removed, so beginners in this area also be incentivized same as those in education.

"Culture in Romania has, unfortunately, been chronically underfinanced. The budget of the Culture Ministry, included, in Romania, reported to the Gross Domestic Product, it is lower than in other countries, which have understood the value of the cultural area. Thus chronic underfunding of culture has obviously reflected on the salaries in the culture area. Here, if you wish, I have an additional mission as former Labour minister. When I joined the ministry, together with all representatives of the cultural area, trade unions, representatives of the entertainment industry and those from museums and libraries, from the Culture Ministry and other institutions, I have created a version of the salary law, which is meant to correct part of the pay inequities in the culture area. Namely, to reduce the inequities among national institutions and those under the local authorities, to eliminate the discrepancies among entertainment institutions and museum or library institutions, and readjust the coefficients, so that beginners, in culture same as in education, be incentivized to join and work in the area," the Culture minister said.

Raluca Turcan pointed out that, in the context of the announced postponement of the pay law approval to the end of the year or the beginning of 2025, she drafted an amendment proposal, so that "at least in the museum and library area, where salaries are far behind, an increase in salaries should be attempted, same as it has been managed in the Culture Directorates."

Raluca Turcan showed that the proposals in question had been sent to the Labour minister.

She also said that the Culture Ministry would also endorse the initiatives coming from the creative industries through a series of cultural projects.

"I encourage all forms of association of people working in the cultural private sector to follow the projects we launch at the Culture Ministry or funding opportunities, so they can receive our support to be able to generate high-quality cultural activities," the Culture minister also said.