Birth allowance and child benefit will be increased in 2008

The lump sum allowance given at the birth of the first child in 2008 will be 1,200 lei and for every next child 1,500 lei under the draft state budget for next year. This is by 200 lei and, respectively, 500 lei more than this year. The draft budget also stipulates that the monthly benefit for raising the child up to the age of 1.5 years will be increased from 100 lei to 150 lei. The average state social benefit for invalids from childhood of third degree will be raised from 136 lei to 206 lei. The given benefit will be also provided to the invalids aged between 16 and 18. The allowance for looking after invalids of first degree will be increased from 200 to 300 lei. The pensions of military men will be by 10.6% higher, while the pensions of participants in liquidating the consequences of the Chernobyl accident – by 18.3% higher. A number of MPs stressed the necessity of considerably increasing these allowances, but the Government said that the state budget for next year does not envisage resources for significant rises. The reforms will cost the budget about 146 mln lei or approximately 1% of the revenues and expenditure planned for 2008.