The new school year is to start tomorrow in Romania, despite the Education Unions’ protests planned for Friday in Bucharest and throughout the country. The unions’ leaders announced on Wednesday that they would boycott the school opening ceremonies following the meeting with the representatives of the Government which did not conclude with a satisfying salary raise for the teachers.

The Romanian Education minister stated in a press conference on Thursday that he did not understand the reasons for the unions’ protests given the most generous financing of the system in the last 16 years, as the education budget doubled and the investments proved that education was a priority for this Government.

The teachers’ salaries increased by 6% starting Sept., 1, while investments are 11 folded higher.

However, negotiations between the Education unions and the Government will continue with the unions’ proposal for a salary raise, following the Govt’s 14% increase on Wednesday.