Transnistrian trade union federation seeks higher minimum subsistence level

The trade union federation of Transnistria will demand that the economy ministry of the breakaway republic increase the minimum subsistence level if the prices of food products and public utilities continue to go up during November-December, Info-Prim Neo’s correspondent in the region reports. The minimum subsistence level is a social-economic indicator used to monitor the living conditions and to fix the minimum pensions and salaries. The minimum subsistence level includes the minimum food and non-food consumption basket, the public utilities and transport services. During the past three months, the minimum subsistence level in Transnistria fell by 114 rubles to 828 rubles (1,000 lei). Miroslava Devochko, the head of the social-economic division of the trade union federation, said that the fall is due to the fact that a number of vegetables and the fish decreased in price on the local markets in summer. The quoted source said that the trade union federation will propose amendments to the legislation so that the deviations of the minimum subsistence level do not affect the size of salaries. In accordance with the Transnistrian legislation, the minimum salary rate is fixed quarterly.