The government confirmed the country’s 2023 budget. Here are some of the key things that may affect you.
The average old-age pension should increase by €65 to €575 next year, while the pension without the required length of service will rise by €60 to €542.
In 2023, the minimum monthly wage is set to rise 15 percent to €840 euros before tax, amounting to 633 euros after tax. The non-taxable income rate will reach €625 (€85 more than now).
The basic salary, which is used to calculate the wages in the public sector, should increase from €181 to €186. This would increase the salaries of civil servants by around €23.5 to €161.
The basic social allowance should also rise to €49, which will increase lump-sum child benefits by around €5.25 to €85.75.
Even though electricity and gas prices on the market have risen several times, the government hopes to reduce bills for consumers with subsidies.
The budget foresees that the price of electricity in public supply could rise to 28 eurocents per kWh in the first half of 2023 and to 33 eurocents per kWh in the second half.
Electricity refunds will also apply to customers who have signed contracts with independent suppliers.
Currently, the price of public supply is 24 eurocents per kWh, while the National Commission for Energy Control and Prices (VERT) estimates that electricity could cost around 63 eurocents per kWh next year without compensation.
Compensation will also be available to gas users. A cubic metre of natural gas for people in Group I (consuming up to 300 cubic metres per year) should cost €1.33 in the first half of next year after the state compensation (without the compensation the price would be about €4.15 per cubic metre).
Group II (those consuming between 301 and 20,000 cubic metres) will pay €1.07 (without compensation the price would be around €4.15 per cubic metre). For the second half of the year, natural gas prices are expected to be €1.78 per cubic metre for Group I and €1.5 per cubic metre for Group II.
Currently, the price per cubic metre is €1.02 for Group I and €0.77 for Group II.
Although approved by the government, the parliament still needs to discuss the draft budget twice, before taking a final decision by December 17.
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