Minister of European Investment and Projects Adrian Caciu says he has no information regarding the VAT increase to 19% in 2025 for products and services that are currently at a reduced rate, except for medicines and food.

„I do not confirm this. We had no such discussion. I think the best thing would be for the Minister of Finance to answer, if he has such drafts. We hope to discuss them beforehand and not to have surprises in the public space again. I have not heard of such a thing,” Caciu said on Digi 24 on Tuesday evening.

Asked whether such a measure would be required in 2025, the minister of European Investment and Projects emphasised that in order to reduce the deficit, „a much fairer approach” can be taken by combating tax evasion and reducing unnecessary state budget spending.

„I believe that we can have a much fairer approach by combating tax evasion, increasing tax collection, but especially by reducing unnecessary state budget spending. That’s why we also have the deficit reduction over 7 years, so we should not expect, I know there is this fear, but we will not reduce the deficit in one year or in two years, and burden the economy with taxes. That’s why we have 7 years, because we have investments to make, we have big expenses and we have to admit that if we make these investments once and for all, Romania will be better off. We must not necessarily patch the budget from all sorts of things. I do not know exactly, I didn’t have this discussion and still, believe me, I am in this economic area of the Social Democratic Party and that is why I do not confirm such a hypothesis,” Caciu added.

AGERPRES