“It would be irresponsible to act otherwise. There were no consultations and discussions with any industry, the social dialogue is again a form that marks a legal requirement and nothing more, and from the first analysis we see an excessive and unjustified optimism about the level of income,” he explained to Radu Burnete, the executive director of the Confederation Concordia employers.

ANAF plans to raise 30 billion more next year, although this year it is 12 billion less than proposed, says Bernete. “The government expects to receive more than 60 billion lei from European funds and PNRR, although it will reach slightly less than 29 billion of the proposed 55 billion in 2023. The additional 12 billion that the Government believes it will receive in addition from CASS after the base expansion is also a question mark due to the lack of justification from which it is possible to understand how this figure was arrived at, says the chief executive of the Confederation of Employers. .

We remind you that the draft budget for 2024 was published on Wednesday, built on a budget deficit of 86.6 billion lei or 5% of GDP, with a projected economic growth of 3.4%, which is 2.0% higher than in 2023 year

Revenues of the general consolidated budget in 2024 will amount to 586 billion lei, i.e. an increase of 13%, and expenses are estimated at 672.8 billion lei (an increase of 9%).

“This year’s experience has shown us that although the government has the political authority to propose any budget, if it is built on unrealistic revenue estimates and projections, the pots quickly break in the heads of good taxpayers. They will again be called upon to pay a deficit larger than estimated, despite promises that there will be no tax increase in 2024,” Radu Burnete added.

According to him, some of the fiscal and budgetary measures surrounding this budget also raise questions: the Government wants to narrow again the scope of deductions from sponsorship, although this system has created many social benefits at very low costs; the transition fund, although fed by excessive taxation of energy companies, is empty in the draft budget; restrictions for Rabla are significantly reduced, which prevents the implementation of these programs, although money from the Environmental Fund cannot be redistributed to other budget areas; sales tax remains with significant uncertainty and we also see tax rulings that will be retroactive. Penalties for evasion are increasing, which is very good in itself, but in the absence of ANAF reform and digitization, we fear that this institution will become more oppressive even with good taxpayers and not with evaders.

Social dialogue and consultation would lead to a more realistic budget that businesses and society would not fear, but that cannot be done in the 24 hours we have. The government continues to not take seriously those who ultimately create the welfare of Romania, workers and employers. We take our role seriously and will publish our own analyzes and opinions in the next period, even if the measures and the budget have already been adopted,” concludes the executive director of the Confederation of Concordia Employers.