Senator Anca Dragu pleads for the introduction of the measure „zero taxes on the minimum salary,” in the context of an 18% increase in prices for foodstuffs and even over 30% for some staple foods, according to Agerpres.

The former Minister of Finance told a press conference held at the Palace of Parliament on Monday that such an increase in prices primarily affects those with very low incomes, in the context in which food products represent approximately 33% of their entire consumption for Romanians.

„The level of inflation has increased. We have 15.3% for food products, non-food products and services. However, we see the biggest increase in food products, of more than 18%. There is a very significant increase in prices for staple foods, namely bakery products, oil, potatoes – we have price increases of more than 30% here. We know very well that foodstuffs represent about 33% of Romanians’ consumption, of everything Romanians spend in a month. The increase in food prices will affect a lot especially those with incomes very low, respectively with very low salaries or with low pensions. That is why we are very disappointed by the PSD-PNL-UDMR (Social Democratic Party – National Liberal Party – Democratic Union of Hungarians of Romania) government’s lack of reaction, the fact that they simply keep these people in poverty. It is probably a political tactic to make them dependent,” said Anca Dragu.

She mentioned that by applying the measure ‘zero taxes on the minimum salary’ a person who is paid the minimum salary would receive 2,550 lei, not 1,524 lei.

„We have proposed for a long time, for several years, this measure „zero taxes on the minimum salary,” which is an absolutely necessary measure at this point. Thus, a person who is paid the minimum salary, 2,550 lei gross salary, with today’s taxation he/she receives 1,500 or so lei. If this measure were to be applied, basically the people with the minimum wage in the economy would go home with the full amount: 2,550 lei. And the same for people with a salary of, let’s say 5,000, this could increase the net income to somewhere around 3,800 lei, through these measures that we keep proposing and that must be taken at this moment,” said Anca Dragu.

Agerpres