The Bloc of Communists and Socialists has introduced a legislative proposal to pay out 1000 lei to children in the mandatory education system ahead of the upcoming school year. If the bill is approved, the procedure for how to apply for and distribute the payouts shall be established by the Government.

“According to official data, the proposed bill will cover 136,254 pupils nationwide, which will entail considerable costs, but which are utterly necessary. In this regard, the Government will be tasked with identifying the required amount and including it in the Budget Law,” reads the accompanying note.

The Communists and Socialists cite statistics which show that the minimum subsistence level for a child aged 7-17 years is 2,261.5 lei.

Under the bill, the lump-sum assistance will be requested by the parents or guardians in the interest of the beneficiaries, that is, schoolchildren. The list of papers to be presented when applying is to be established by the Government.

In a separate proposal, the Bloc wants to cover free meals for all the children in grades 1st through 9th. Currently only first to fourth graders get free meals, which the Communists and Socialists say amounts to “unequal treatment.” Offering free meals for other children in the mandatory education system would mean “a positive obligation of the government to implicitly achieve access to education”. The sponsors haven’t estimated the costs of the proposal.