Prime Minister Mihai Tudose said Tuesday ‘Romania TV’ private broadcaster that he has refused to have his salary on the card, because he does not want to give any commission to the banks, because some of them believe they are smarter than the Romanian state.
“I do not have much money in the bank. I have refused to have my salary on the card. I do not want to pay any commission to the banks. I personally had an experience with an account where I had USD 500 and after two years I was called by the bank to give USD 50 more. As Prime Minister I have another position. You work with our money and you have no profit, then I believe you have a management problem, or you will continue to think we are stupid that we do not realize what you are doing. I believe it is enough. There are some serious banks and there are banks that believe they are smarter than the Romanian state,” Tudose said.
Central bank official says the statement was ‘uninspired’
The statement made by PM Tudose regarding the banks in Romania is ‘uninspired’, it’s the statement made by an intellectual who has no connection with banks, central bank adviser Adrian Vasilescu said on Wednesday.
Vasilescu claims that the banks operate within the legal framework. “The banks in any country move within the limits of the law,” he said. The BNR adviser said the laws could be very loose and may have various meanings and institutions and people operate up to the limits of the law. Referring to commissions, Vasilecu said BNR is not entitled to conduct checks, but the National Authority for Consumer Protection, which is subordinated to the government and may initiate laws to regulate the relationship between banks and customers.
Vasilescu added that the Government and the banks are cooperating many times. “The Government takes loans, pays wages and pensions, pays back the money, it’s a continuous and natural relationship,” he said.