Increase in figure in several public institutions: more than 1,800 lei per month for some employees. The benefits that should disappear through the new wage law

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The new budget payroll law enters the straight line, at a time when Romania risks the loss of around 700 million euros from the PNRR if the reform is not adopted by the end of August. According to the Presidential Administration, following a mediation process carried out under the coordination of President Nicușor Dan, PSD, PNL, USR and UDMR signed a political agreement committing to adopt the new public sector wage law by the end of the parliamentary session. The reform has an implementation deadline of July 1, 2026.

In this context, one of the increments frequently referred to in discussions about “budgetary income restructuring” is the so-called figure increment, also known as the increment for activity with classified or confidential information.

What is digit increment

The code enhancement is granted to personnel working with classified documents or sensitive information under a classified information clearance. In practice, it is associated with functions involving the management of highly classified documents or diplomatic and security activity.

Who receives it

The categories that receive it most often are: MFA attachés, military and civilian personnel from the defense system; police officers and MAI employees; personnel from national security services and structures; sometimes employees of the judiciary, prosecutor’s offices or other institutions with access to classified documents; certain administrative/IT functions that handle sensitive data.

Data from the salary scales of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, for example, show that this increase is present in a wide range of diplomatic and administrative functions, including: attachés and advisers, diplomatic advisers and consuls, legal and relations advisers, directors and general managers, staff from coordination structures and cabinet, experts and senior public managers, some executive functions in the central apparatus.

How much can the digit increase reach?

According to salary data related to the year 2026 for MFA staff, the increase varies significantly depending on the position and level of responsibility:

• in the lower area: approximately 270 – 360 lei

• medium level: between 800 – 1,300 lei

• higher level: frequently 1,300 – 1,500 lei

• peaks in the central administration: up to approximately 1,790 – 1,869 lei per month

Thus, in some management or coordination positions in the MAE, the figure increase can reach almost 1,900 lei per month, being one of the consistent increases in the public system.

Cumulative increments and the impact in the final income

In many cases, the salary increase is not the only salary benefit. It is accumulated with the basic salary, the allowance for difficult conditions (capped at 300 lei), other specific allowances (for example for a scientific title or special responsibilities).

Thus, the monthly income of some top diplomatic positions can increase significantly by accumulating these components.

What’s next in the new wage law

Although the final form of the new law has not yet been published, discussions in the public space aim at restructuring the system of allowances, including the elimination of some allowances considered non-unitary or difficult to justify.

In this context, the digit increase is one of the benefits that could be reconfigured, but also the one for hard working conditions.