PNL's Ciuca: Main lines of 2024 budget ensure that investments in Romania's modernisation continue
PNL (National Liberal Party) leader Nicolae Ciuca on Monday said that the main lines of the 2024 budget draft ensure that the investments will continue in Romania's modernisation, with significant increases in allocations to ministries, and an increase in revenues of approximately 2 per cent as a result o the measure taken to reduce tax evasion, according to the minister of finance.
"We have discussed at the PNL leadership level the main topic related to the budget for 2023 and the draft budget for 2024. The minister of finance, Mr. Marcel Bolos, was there, and he gave us all the details related to the measures taken, so that we can now close the 2023 budget year by observing the budget deficit of 5.5% that we committed to observe and, of course, the details related to the budget projection for 2024. In this regard, I would like to mention that the main budget lines ensure the continuation of investments for the modernisation of Romania, with a percentage of 7.3% of the Gross Domestic Product having been established for everything that means investments. Also, we have an increase of approximately 61 per cent at the Ministry of Education, from RON 35 B to RON 57 B most precisely, which provides the necessary amount to increase the salaries of the teaching and non-teaching staff, as well as to start of the implementation of the Education Laws," explained Ciuca, after the meeting of the National Political Bureau of the PNL.
According to the PNL leader, the budget draft is to be analyzed and approved at the level of the Government, and to be approved by the Parliament by Christmas.
Asked about the sources of funding for salary and pension increases, Nicolae Ciuca said: "There are measures that surely come from the increase in revenues to the state budget and the minister presented us that there is an increase in revenues by approximately 2%.".
"In addition to these, there is a package of measures meant to increase collection and reduce tax evasion so that from all these measures taken at the level of the ministry there is clear that we should have the necessary money to be able to cover the budget increases. There are the elements related to the digitalisation of ANAF, the operationalisation of the electronic seal, the declaration of the goods entering into the country (...) In fact, there is including a draft law that ensures an increase in penalties for those who commit tax evasion," said the head of the PNL.
Ciuca also explained that the appointment of a new management at ANAF (National Agency for Fiscal Administration) and Customs, plus a whole series of measures aimed at making the structures in the territory more efficient, were taken into account.
Regarding the intention to cut expenses, Ciuca said: "With the application of Ordinance no. 90, in November, if we are to compare the expenses on goods and services against November 2022, by applying this Ordinance it was possible to reduce expenses by approximately RON 3 billion, i.e. from 4 billion to 1.2 billion, so there is a possibility that these amounts can be collected, including based on a more efficient management."
Asked about the reduction of party subsidies, the PNL president said that they remain unchanged. "At this moment, discussing an election year, the value that was approved is the one that remains, it neither increases nor decreases," said the PNL leader.
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