President Nicusor Dan still believes that the VAT increase could have been avoided by the government

President Nicusor Dan still believes that the VAT increase could have been avoided by the government. In a lengthy press conference at Cotroceni, he explained how this provision came to be included in the first fiscal package. The president also said that all these financial restrictions will be temporary and that better times will come at the end of next year.

Oana Bala followed the statements of the head of state: "President Nicusor Dan told Romanians that the fiscal measures for which the government has taken responsibility are a temporary measure, given that, in his opinion, Romania has the potential for development as soon as it recovers economically. The head of state announced that the Presidential Administration will reduce its operating budget by 20 percent, or 20 million lei, and explained that he maintains his opinion that the budget deficit can be corrected without increasing VAT, but these measures fall within the remit of the government.

Nicusor Dan: "In the month before the prime minister was appointed, I looked at a great deal of financial data and, with full knowledge of the facts, I had this discussion with the coalition and the prime minister-designate, and that was the agreement we had at the time the government was formed. In order to keep VAT at 19%, a set of measures had to be taken, and I am still absolutely convinced that this was the right direction. When we appointed the government with this condition, all discussions and measures became the responsibility of the government."

On the other hand, the Romanian president specified that the transitional provision will be retained in the law on magistrates, according to which those who currently meet the retirement conditions will retain the rights provided for in the normative act at this time, in the event that they retire later. He also said that he would sign the retirement decrees for magistrates in a few days and explained that the delay was due to incomplete applications.

Translated by: Radu Matei