The wages of 50% of the Romanians were cut in March due to the financial crisis, particularly by the disappearance of bonuses, according to a GfK study. The most affected are the small employers and the freelancers: two-thirds of them had a financial decline.
The revenues of four out of ten Romanians were influenced negatively by the crisis in March. Extra revenues, such as bonuses and commissions, have recorded the biggest impact: 21% of the population felt the decrease. The crisis had the same effects in urban and rural areas, there are no differences in the way it has affected the revenues of the people living in cities or villages.The active population is the most exposed to the adverse consequences on income, the percentage of those affected reaching to 50%. The people leaving in Bucharest are the least affected, only 18% of them saying their income has been affected by the crisis. The region most affected by the crisis is Oltenia, where just over half the population felt the crisis effects.
The most difficult situation is felt by the freelancers, small employers and self-employed, because more than half of them had decreasing incomes during the past months and, in total, two thirds of them had their incomes decreased. In addition to reducing the extra-incomes, other consequences appeared as well: delayed payment of wages or even their decrease, both felt by 9% of the population.
More unemployed
In April 2009, the figures show situations similar to the ones in March. However, there are more people who lost their jobs because of the crisis: they reached from 5% to 7%. 60% of the Romanians refer to the financial situation of their family as "our income hardly allows us to cover the current expenses". In the same period of last year, only 53% of the people were saying this. In addition, now only 17% of the population is able to make savings.
From the salaries point of view Romania is in a situation similar to the one of the Czech Republic and Bosnia-Herzegovina. The most affected country is Hungary, where over 70% of the population believes that the family financial situation got worse. The Austrians are the least exposed people (only 30% of the population is affected).
The information comes from a GfK Omnibus study conducted monthly and is representative for the population aged 15 and over. The sample consists of 1,000 people living in rural and urban areas. The research was done simultaneously in nine countries in Europe.