Romanian mayor sues himself to get a pay raise

The mayor of Grindu commune, Marian Trâmbițașu, has filed a lawsuit against himself, seeking a higher salary. The unusual case landed before the Ialomița Tribunal, where Trâmbițașu appears as both the plaintiff, in his personal capacity, and the defendant, in his role as mayor.

According to court documents, Trâmbițașu is requesting an update to his mayoral allowance to reflect legislative changes concerning the gross minimum wage. He believes he should have received back payments. His allowance has fluctuated, from 8,320 lei in 2020 to 9,660 lei in 2024, with a temporary 45% increase for involvement in projects funded by external sources.

Initially, Trâmbițașu claimed not to recall initiating such a lawsuit when contacted. However, the case is officially registered on the court portal with him as claimant and the Mayor of Grindu Commune as defendant. Legal experts consulted by local media find the situation atypical, noting that the same person occupies both sides of the legal dispute, though they acknowledge it relates to the function and the method of setting local elected officials' allowances.

Later, Trâmbițașu explained to Digi24 that the lawsuit is a "collective process" intended to update the salaries of all municipal employees. He stated that employee incomes are linked to the mayor's allowance, which has not been adjusted according to the minimum wage levels established in 2019. He asserted that officials requested a solution, and since administrative avenues were unavailable, they turned to the court. He also addressed criticism regarding the purchase of four massage office chairs for approximately 3,500 lei, stating the acquisition was made for practical reasons.

“

It is a collective process.