Premium
Energy minister: You double taxes for nothing if tax base drops by half
The measures that will be taken must be very well thought out, because you are doubling the taxes for nothing if the tax base drops by half, opines Minister of Energy Sebastian Burduja.
"I don't envy Mr. Bolos [Marcel Bolos, Minister of Finance] and I don't dislike the fact that the rumors related to my coming to the Ministry of Finance did not come true. He has a difficult mission. Joke aside, I will certainly not comment on measures that are being speculated in the public space. I am waiting to see the final version. I have also argued that the public apparatus must be made more efficient and, as a liberal, I look first of all at the area of making expenses more efficient and only then, possibly, to discuss taxes, because you may find that certain taxes increase, but less money comes to the budget, because your tax base decreases. (...) I will see the final form of the package of measures and, certainly, apart from being an economist, I am also a party man and I will fully respect a political decision of the National Liberal Party. I think that the measures must be very well thought out, because you are doubling taxes for nothing if the tax base is halved", explained the minister when asked what was his opinion was related to the measures considered by the Government, circulated in the public space.
Sebastian Burduja gave as an example a law that he promoted as a deputy and which reduced the tax on stock market income from 10% to 1%, respectively 3%, depending on the ownership period.
"Shares held for more than a year benefit from 1% instead of 10% and withholding at source, that is, at the broker. Now, the number of investors in 2020 on the stock exchange was 50,000, today it is 160,000. If we go back, say at 10%, we can expect the number of investors to drop and then we'll apply 10% but on a lower tax base. Here's a perfect example of how you can raise taxes and find yourself with less money to the budget," said Burduja.
In the same context, when asked about a possible reduction of the subsidy for gigacalories, the minister of energy emphasized that an analysis must be done and that his main concern is the provision of hot water and heat for the people of Bucharest and mentioned that Termoenergetica has a debt of 1 billion lei to Elcen.
"Again, I will not comment on measures that have not been completed. I believe that the Government will think carefully before increasing these costs, even if I do not know if it is in order like the subsidy in Bucharest, where the standard of living is much higher than in Oradea, to be much higher than in Oradea. These are two examples that have been given in the public space. So, it's an analysis that needs to be done. With new certainty, at the Ministry of Energy, we care about keeping prices as low as possible. But, if we are talking about heating, my main concern is to ensure heat and hot water for the people of Bucharest through ELCEN, the one that produces the heating agent. And I am still waiting for Mr. Nicusor Dan to respond to an official address that I sent by a month and a half, because Termoenergetica, i.e. the City Hall's company, has a debt of 1 billion to Elcen. Elcen must buy gas before October 1. That's the law, they buy it in advance. Mr. Mayor General, please answer me," Sebastian Burduja told a meeting with the press after participating in the Business Forum of the Three Seas Initiative.
