The second stage of the Law on wage will be applied in the budgetary sector this year. The favourable premises for the implementation of the Law are due to the events occurred in late 2006 and in the first month of the current year, events that have significantly cleared up the situation in what concerns the fulfilment of the budget for 2007. Such a conclusion was presented at a meeting chaired by Vladmir Voronin on Thursday, January 25. It was mentioned that despite the considerable revenues in the state budget in 2006, the second stage of the Law could be implemented because the budget for 2007 was drawn up in incertitude, caused by the undetermined price of the natural gas, fact that included possible exaggerated budgetary expenses for gas and other services. Another risk factor was the consequence of the bans imposed by Russia. The participants asserted that the state budget will exceed the planned pace this year. It is planned a 13.5% increase in revenues, as in the period from January 1 to January 25 state budget revenues exceeded by 34% the revenues registered in the similar period of the last year. Voronin requested the Government to examine all the proposals presented at the meeting and to submit to the Parliament the whole set of the necessary acts in order to accelerate the implementation of the second stage of the Law on wage in the budgetary sector. Also on Thursday, the president participated in the meeting of the Education and Youth Ministry College, where he reiterated his promise to implement the Wage Law. The head of state has even mentioned a date – April 1 – for the first wage increase, without specifying the extent of the increase and the categories of budgetary employees that will enjoy it. Minister of Economy and Commerce Igor Dodon stated in December that the provisions of the Law on wage that included a 10-15% increase in the wage will not be implemented starting January 2007, because of a budgetary deficit of MDL 800 mln. According to him, in conformity with the provisions of the Law, wages in the budgetary sector were raised by 40%.