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PM Sorin Grindeanu went to the Cotroceni presidential palace on Wednesday in his first meeting as premier with President Klaus Iohannis, who had requested for such a discussion to tackle the state budget topic.
After the meeting, President Iohannis stated that PM Grindeanu had pledged that the Gov’t would fall into a deficit below 3pc.
“It was a practical discussion reviewing the effect of the first actions the Government has taken. I asked and received information on how the Gov’t sees the construction of the 2017 budget. In my view, and I underlined it during the meeting, it’s very important to have a sustainable, solid budget for 2017 that should consider some highly important data, such as to fall into a deficit of 3% or below 3%, to allot 2% for defense and so on. We have pledges that these will be achieved.
The budget is under way (…) The budget will not be easily drafted on the actions already taken and in compliance with a 3 pc deficit, but it is mandatory (…) It’s the Gov’t’s matter and it will have to come up with solutions, to come up with a sustainable budget (…) It’s important to have a budget that should consider all these conditions,” the President pointed out.
The Prime Minister came to meet the President accompanied by the Finance Minister, Viorel Stefan.
Social Democrat chairman Liviu Dragnea said on Tuesday evening that Iohannis had called the premier to Cotroceni to see if the latter has taken ‘private lessons’ to learn the ruling programme, hinting at Klaus Iohannis’ irony during the swearing-in ceremony when the head of state asked Dragnea to also teach the minister the ruling programme.
Iohannis: It can be no budget gap
As for the alleged RON 10bn gap in the budget claimed by the Social Democrat chairman Liviu Dragnea referring to the former Ciolos Cabinet, President Iohannis says it cannot be such thing and that nobody left home with the money.
“We have briefly discussed this matter, for reasons I don’t know the gap phrase has been rumored, but it cannot be such thing (…). It’s a sum that it just couldn’t be achieved on returns, those who ruled will have to explain that, not me. However, no one left home taking the money. It would be better to take it easy with these inquiries in Parliament. I think those who are experts on these matters should make a very serious assessment and stop leading discussion to some political rows ”, the President argued.
Law on pensions relieves from taxation to be promulgated
On the other hand, the head of state announced he would promulgate the law exempting pensioners from paying the social health insurance and on no taxation for pensions under RON 2,000. Iohannis says he will promulgate the law in the upcoming days.
According to this law, the social health insurance will be borne from the state budget.
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