EP Vice-President criticises elimination of tax exemptions for people with disabilities

The Vice-President of the European Parliament, Nicolae Stefanuta, has criticised the government's fiscal measures, which have eliminated local tax exemptions for people with disabilities.

It is the wrong decision, he said in Bucharest at a press conference alongside Katrin Langensiepen from the Greens Group in the European Parliament.

The two spoke about European policies and initiatives that respond to the needs of people with disabilities in all EU member states.

The European Parliament is trying to fight for the rights of people with disabilities, said MEP Nicolae Stefanuta, vice-president of the European legislative forum, criticising the fiscal measures to eliminate the exemption from local taxes for people with disabilities.

Nicolae Stefanuta: It is a wrong decision because it affects the little that was a very important help for these families. I know many families who are in this area of autism, they are struggling, they have no social assistance, there are not enough centers, for example, for children with autism, where they can go for a few hours to learn communication skills and sensory skills. I believe that this decision is wrong and that it affects those who should not be affected, those from vulnerable social backgrounds, students, teachers, and others.

Katrin Langensiepen, Vice-Chair of the European Parliament's Committee on Employment and Social Affairs, said that people with disabilities are not a homogeneous group and pointed out that greater social inclusion is needed.

Katrin Langensiepen: We need inclusive education. Where does the European Union's money go? That was the question we asked ourselves in all the debates. What happened to European funds in Germany, Romania, everywhere in Europe? There is always a message or a story that everything is so expensive. It's not expensive, it's about how much money we invest now and how we can change things.

Translated by: Radu Matei