Unions aim to 'bankrupt state'

"Unions take to the streets to bankrupt the state," declares România liberain its report on the general strike which began on September 20. The strikers are demanding an end to layoffs and an increase in the minimum wage from 150 to 200 euros. "The government does not even have the funds to maintain current salary levels," says the daily, and aims to impose a minimum wage freeze for the next two years. Ironically, the first to take action are the police, who are refusing to impose fines because they do not have the right to strike — an initiative which the paper describes as "a godsend for traffic violators".