Minister of Public Finance, Florin Citu, considers that tax evasion has grown into a national security issue and announces that early this year he will refer to the Supreme Council for National Defence (CSAT) the necessary documents for the approval of the strategy for the Ministry and the National Tax Administration Agency's informatization.
"From my point of view, tax evasion has become a national security issue. Right at the beginning of the year I will refer to the CSAT the necessary documents for the approval of the Ministry and the National Tax Administration Agency's informatization, as a goal of national importance. At the same time, I will take the steps for the National Tax Administration Agency to conduct no more than one complex inspection per year at Romanian companies, regardless of their size. (Except for flagrant cases/complaints)," the Finance Minister wrote on Facebook on Friday.
Premier Ludovic Orban declared in mid-December that Romania has the highest VAT evasion and the lowest VAT collection rate in the EU.
"We are the country with the highest VAT evasion. We have the lowest VAT collection rate in the EU. I believe that a 19 pct VAT is reasonable, that this is a rate that can provide a sufficient inflow to the state budget. Obviously, the VAT collection needs to be improved, but for this to happen, the National Tax Administration Agency (ANAF) must understand that it has to change its ways. The agency must go for informatization," Ludovic Orban said, adding that a World Bank program for ANAF's informatization has no longer been put into practice.
AGERPRES