President Klaus Iohannis declared on Tuesday that the economic situation in Romania is good, there is economic growth and that there is no need for salary cuts. “There is no loophole. I am completely against chaotic pay cuts,” the president said.
“It’s really a discussion in the public space that, in my opinion, has taken it in a completely wrong direction. The economic situation in Romania is good, we have economic growth, we have development. Romania has huge opportunities to get money Europeans. Some time ago when the European funds were negotiated and for the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), I went with the team to Brussels, where we negotiated for 4 days and 4 nights, we then obtained 80 billion euros of European funds and funds for PNRR for projects in Romania , it’s a huge opportunity. The government’s job is clear – to create the framework for this money to be attracted to the benefit of Romanian companies, of Romanians as a whole to develop the Romanian economy. That’s what the Government must do,” said the president.
The Romanian head of state said that it seems that when the budget for 2023 was built there was some overestimation of the tax collection capacity, that is, the Government thought that the people from the Tax Office would collect more money, “which did not happen like that”. “There is no hole and no sad perspective. Things must be corrected. Obviously, they must also be corrected on collection. The tax must move a little better, but it must also be corrected on the expenditure side, that is, in certain chapters, the money must be used more judiciously . No need for cuts. As long as I have a say, and I think I will, there will be no pay cuts.”
Iohannis assured that his and Coalition’s point is not to put Romania in any austerity scenario. “It was proven during the 2008-2010 bank crisis that austerity is not a solution. O hope politicians and pseudo-politicians will understand that. There will be no pay cuts. I do not want that, through development and attracting EU funds, Romanians to have a rough time, it is absurd“, Iohannis added.