Returning illicit salaries does not bar prosecution, expert warns
Returning or donating unearned public salaries does not extinguish criminal liability or address systemic governance failures in state enterprises, anti-corruption expert Cristina Ciubotaru warned during a broadcast on Radio Moldova.
At the same time, trade union leaders urged the government to reform the budget-sector pay structure to close widening income gaps exacerbated by double-digit inflation.
Charity cannot erase public fund abuse
Expert Cristina Ciubotaru emphasized that while public officials remain free to make charitable donations, such actions cannot serve as a legal shield against illicit enrichment or improper compensation from public funds.
Labor laws do not generally mandate employees to return payments disbursed by employers, as the burden of compliance rests on institutional management. However, knowingly receiving unearned public funds carries severe legal consequences.
"Receiving unearned public money directly mirrors ghost employment schemes," Ciubotaru explained, noting that courts have already issued convictions in similar cases. Legal liability applies both to executives authorizing unlawful pay and to beneficiaries accepting it.
Systemic risk to the rule of law
Tolerating attempts to resolve public salary scandals through voluntary donations sends a dangerous message to society and undermines institutional integrity, according to the expert.
"If state administrators believe they can hire relatives with impunity and simply make a donation if caught, the rule of law is severely damaged," Ciubotaru stated. She stressed that law enforcement must apply equally to all public officials regardless of political connections.
The current wave of scandals exposes deeper vulnerabilities in state oversight rather than mere public relations issues. Ciubotaru called on the new executive cabinet to expand ongoing state enterprise audits to all government-subsidized agencies.
Trade unions demand wage adjustments
During the same broadcast, Polina Fisticanu, representative of the National Trade Union Confederation of Moldova, called for immediate adjustments to the public sector pay scale to restore equity and purchasing power.
Fisticanu noted that most budget-sector workers have not seen base salary adjustments since early 2025, while cumulative inflation has exceeded 12%. Without policy interventions, real wages will continue to decline significantly.
To align with EU directives on adequate minimum wages, trade unions recommend setting the national minimum wage at roughly 50% of the average national wage. Currently, Moldova's minimum wage fails to cover the basic living expenses of a worker with one dependent child.
Trade unions also voiced strong opposition to reducing annual bonuses for healthcare, education, and social care staff, arguing that primary compensation must rely on higher base salaries rather than shrinking performance incentives.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
