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Senate President, the National Liberal Party (PNL) leader Florin Citu considers that energy prices will only drop if there is an increase in production capacity and extending the offer, but that solutions should not only target energy sector.
"The problem is much wider, in the context in which we have an increase in interest rates, raised generalized inflation. Solutions cannot be specific for a certain sector. We must handle the entire economy. (...) We will have solutions for energy after April 1, for now we have until April 1, the implementation of solutions being underway. Until then, even bank installments will raise the inflation, which is already generalized, it is 8.4% and it does not affect just the energy sector. (...) We must look at how we are going towards the future, how we will decrease this pressure and how to decrease prices (...) If we do not have solutions that will extend production capacity, to extend the offer, prices will not drop. We must have access to gas. That is why the Ministry of Energy is looking for solutions in other countries. There are sources that we could have in the following period. The good news is that energy consumption is dropping. Solutions are coming to the coalition from the Government," Citu said, in the Senate, on Thursday, Agerpres.ro informs.
Asked if a 5% VAT for energy is a solution, Citu said: "The solution is a generalized VAT decrease. Today we are looking at inflation or a price increase throughout the entire economy, in all sectors. If we are going towards a single sector, I am telling you that I believe we will fix the problem, but we will not fix it."
"Extending these measures is costly. It is not free. You can do it, but every time we extend something it costs the budget a few billion. We must understand that we must give up a lot things. If we go in this direction, in the medium and long term, if we do not think about a clear investment plan, to increase offer, it will not work. To make a decision under pressure is wrong, and afterwards we will be forced to correct it. (...) It costs more if we want to help everyone. After all, there are decisions that the Government must make, what it wants to do with the money in the budget, but they must be presented in the Coalition," Citu added.
