Romania needs a „leaner and more efficient” state to reduce the government deficit, which is why the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) „firmly” rejects any intention to „additionally burden” Romanians by increasing rates and taxes, the party said on Monday.

„Romania needs a leaner and more efficient state. The Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) firmly rejects any intention to further burden Romanians by increasing rates and taxes . While the Social Democratic Party (PSD), the National Liberal Party (PNL), the Save Romania Union (USR) and Hungarian Democratic Union of Romania (UDMR), under the careful supervision of [President] Nicusor Dan, are considering increasing VAT from 19% to 21%, introducing a tax on bank transactions, a solidarity tax on wages over RON 10,000 and even cancelling the funeral aids, AUR proposes a clear and responsible alternative: reducing the operational costs of the state, instead of squeezing the population of money,” AUR said in a social media post on Monday.

AUR said it will put forth this week a package of concrete measures to narrow the government deficit, including: reducing the number of lawmakers to 300, according to the will expressed by the people in a referendum, cutting outlays by 15% in the next two years, levying a solidarity tax on energy companies – an additional 1% of turnover and a minimum turnover tax of 1%, without additional deductions, for corporations with a turnover of more than EUR 100 million, as well as 0% VAT on food, water, education, utilities, healthcare and subsidised basic medicines.

AGERPRES