“No country in the world increases salaries by 40% a year – look at Italy, Germany, Sweden – rises of 4%, 6% or 8%. Not more”, said Deputy Prime Minister Victor Stepaniuc, when asked Thursday by reporters to express the Government’s position on the demands of the education trade unions and teachers that have picketed the Government building since Monday. Stepaniuc said that before the school year, they held a meeting with education trade union heads. “We said then that the Government realizes that teachers’ salaries should be raised. The Ministry of Economy and Trade and the Ministry of Education and Youth are doing calculations. We asked the trade unionists not to hinder the start of the new school year, not to picket and not to create a confused situation. It looked as if they understood, but they did not keep their promises and started to create tumult. But all the schools work as the teachers realize that the situation in the country as a result of floods is difficult; the farmers have not yet recovered from last year’s drought. We are looking for solutions to the problem; the budget for the next year is being discussed. We hope that trade unionists’ demands will also become more moderate and realistic so that we could reach a consensus”, he said. Stepaniuc said that the picketers are mainly trade unionists rather than teaching staff. He regretted the fact that different parties and political leaders that have their own interests joined the pickets. “Of course, it is not fair to tell the teachers to wait because we now deal with the problems of the flood victims. But it is also not fair to tell the pensioners, the youth, workers and farmers to wait. We all must wait. Not exactly wait but work. We must make concerted effort to improve the situation,” he added.