The National Confederation of Trade Unions of Moldova expressed its disappointment with the rise in the electric power tariffs and the expected rise in the natural gas tariffs. According to it, the population will be unable to cover the costs of public utilities, IPN reports.

”The fact that the share of costs for maintaining a dwelling represent 60-70% of the average official salary is unconceivable, not speaking about the fact that these are 2-3 times larger than the average pension. But the rise in the electricity tariffs will lead to increases in the prices of food and nonfood products and services and this is even more dramatic,” the Confederation says in its statement.

According to the statement, the situation concerning the price rises is already alarming. In January-October, the consumer price index rose by 11.5%, while the real salary for August 2015 represented 97.3% on August 2014, a decrease of 6.7%. This shows that the purchasing power of salaries has diminished already.

The trade unions demand that the additional costs incurred by the population in connection with the higher electricity tariffs and the expected increase in the natural gas tariffs should be compensated and that the national commission for collective consultations and negotiations should immediately convene to identify measures that must be taken to protect the salary incomes, benefits and pensions and to compensate the damage sustained as a result of the rise in tariffs.