Prime Minister Marcel Cholaku confirmed on Monday that one of the fiscal measures being considered is the payment of food vouchers. The reason would be that the companies issuing these vouchers would charge quite high commissions and receive exceptional profits, according to the Prime Minister.

• “This is an offer because the companies that issue these vouchers are still getting quite a high commission, from my point of view – 3% for issuance, 3% for collection, according to the information I have.
• If we don’t understand that we can’t have an exceptional profit and even within 1% and we still have 2 employees, I don’t accept such tricks anymore. And then I’ll leave the alternative. We are not talking about vacation vouchers, they will be issued and we will try through the Romanian Post, through the state system.” Marcel Cholak said on Monday.

The announcements were made at the opening of the 2023-2024 academic year at the Angel Saligna Technical College in Bucharest.

Fiscal measures may be transparent this week

Asked when he would take responsibility in parliament for fiscal measures, Çolaku said that after the draft regulations become transparent.

• “After we are transparent with them. I think they will be uploaded to the Government’s transparency website this week. They receive their conclusions, hold Government meetings, and then submit them to the Parliament. The procedure takes one to two weeks. Nothing will be hidden,” said Cholaku.

Restaurants, Čolak’s letter: keep your meal tickets as it has been in Romania for over 25 years

HORA – The hotel and restaurant employers’ organization on Monday sent an open letter to Prime Minister Marcel Čolak, in which he asks to keep meal vouchers, as they have been in Romania for more than 25 years, on special voucher cards, of which more than 3 million have already been used employees

“We do not understand the absurd measure by which it was decided to provide food stamps in cash, and we ask you, Mr. Prime Minister Marcela Colak, to keep food stamps, as it has been in Romania for more than 25 years, for special tickets , which are already used by more than 3 million employees. Do not create a risky situation in which the single disputed mass of 3 million people will be called into question!”, the document says.

Ration cards, Hora says, are issued to workers to eat at lunch, and by making the changes you’re about to make, you risk opening Pandora’s box and dramatically repurposing that money, turning it into cash that goes elsewhere. the economy you are currently trying to regulate, such as gambling.

• “According to an analysis of the latest financial data by Frames, the business of catering companies (COD CAEN 5610) could register a decrease of more than 6 billion lei in 2024, if measures are taken to also allow cash rewards with meal vouchers.”

“Since 1998, when they were also introduced in Romania, the use of meal vouchers has led to the development of restaurants and canteens, teaching workers to take a meal break and eat at lunch. This is a sign of normality, and Romania needs a policy that supports the competitiveness of the labor market,” the quoted source said.

The sums will be used for gambling

“For Romania to become a competitive country, first of all, it must have a healthy and productive labor force, and the state is the one that supports and guides employers on personnel policies that can help employees: eat lunch, do sports, go for medical examinations etc.,” says HORA.

• “Even if you drop all these measures and just give money, just out of a desire to get more money into the budget, eventually people will save the appropriate amounts or use them, as we often see, unfortunately, in games of chance and things like that.”

“Mr. Prime Minister Čolak, meal vouchers are not a fad, they are a way to protect workers who have to eat at lunch, meal vouchers are a form of care for 3 million Romanians who, with this tool, eat at least one once a day day. Food vouchers are of great importance for restaurants and canteens in Romania, they are the oxygen that ensures the continuation of their business,” the organization reports.

• “The increase in food prices is having a major impact on the HORA industry in Romania and this new decision by the government to allow cash-based meal vouchers will result in a drastic reduction in the number of workers who eat lunch in canteens. and restaurants”.

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