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The increase in child allowances and pensions is achieved in the context of the economic crisis caused by the pandemic, president Klaus Iohannis told a press conference on Wednesday.
"No one wanted this epidemic that has globally developed into a pandemic. I cannot think that anyone wanted an economic crisis for Romania. But this epidemic has come and consequently the economic crisis has occurred. Here we are and these things need to be resolved. At the same time, obviously everyone wants to earn better and the governors, of course, want to give more money to the people, who have higher expectations. But to make these things possible, that money must exist," the president said.
According to Iohannis, "it is not possible to dole out money that does not exist and if Romania enters the economic crisis and the revenues are reduced, it is clear that the expenses cannot be increased".
"However - I have said this from the very beginning and I am glad that many in the National Liberal Party share the same opinion -, we cannot have a situation where the most vulnerable categories, children and pensioners, pay the bill for this epidemic and for the economic recession. And then, although the vast majority of the specialists, the economists have repeated in countless occasions that neither pensions nor allowances can be increased, we have asked the Government to find solutions yet to increase them as much as possible. And here, they came up with solutions to increase the allowances in stages, a very suitable solution, and the increase of the pension point is also carried out. So, in conditions where most specialists said this couldn't be done, the Government still came up with a solution to rise pensions. So we're not talking about anything else, this is as good as it gets under the current circumstances. Later, when the economy recovers, solutions will surely be found for further increases," the president stressed.
