Warning signs in the East

Article Type: News From: International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, Volume 58, Issue 6

Salaries in Bulgaria and Romania registered the biggest increase in the European Union in 2008, according to Eurostat, the EU’s statistical office.

Wage and other personnel costs per hour worked jumped by 17.9 in Bulgaria and by 21.5 per cent in Romania in the final quarter of 2008 compared to a year before. At the same time, the two countries offer the lowest wages within the bloc, lagging several times behind other member states.

Bulgaria and Romania also continue to fall drastically behind the EU’s average labour productivity.

This is not a recipe for long-term stability.