“Teachers are entitled to expect pay raises—a fully legitimate expectation. This issue is the government’s top priority this week. Several meetings have been held recently to identify feasible options. The government will present the identified solutions as soon as possible,” according to a statement from the government spokesperson.
The government’s response comes after the Chișinău Territorial Trade Union Center for Education and Science, and subsequently the Trade Union Federation of Education and Science, announced the organization of a protest, through which union members are demanding that commitments regarding salary increases for education and science employees, effective September 1, 2026, be honored.
The FSEȘ has called on all employees in the education and science sectors to show solidarity. The protest will take place on August 19, 2026, in the Great National Assembly Square.
The National Confederation of Trade Unions of Moldova (CNSM) will also join the protest, having expressed its solidarity with the demands of employees in education and research.
Evasive Statements from the Authorities
Previously, Maia Sandu stated that a pay raise for public sector employees effective September 1 would most likely not be possible, given that August is already underway.More recently, the head of state referred to the complicated international situation and the factors that influenced budget planning. “The government had no way of knowing in January that there would be a war in Iran, or that it would be unable to pursue a more ambitious fiscal policy,” Maia Sandu said.
The Ministry of Education and Research has not yet commented on the national unions’ announcement regarding their participation in the protest. Earlier, Minister of Education and Research Dan Perciun stated that new rounds of negotiations with the unions regarding pay raises for education workers are scheduled to take place this week.
