PSD’s Dragnea: Tax evasion legislation in Romania is “bad” | The objective of the government is not to “jail businesspeople, close companies”

Liviu Dragnea, the head of the ruling party PSD, said that public officials have started to change their approach in relation to the private sector, mentioning the activity of tax administration ANAF and of the courts.

“The approach is different, the objective of a government is not to jail businesspeople, it’s not to close businesses,” said Dragnea, adding there should be an honest partnership between the state and the companies.

He went on to say that the “legislation regarding tax evasion is bad.” Dragnea suggested that the legislation is so “dangerously designed” so that “any businessperson can be accused at this moment of tax evasion.”

Dragnea, who is also president of the Chamber of Deputies, made the comments during the launch of a state aid scheme for large investments.

The PSD head urged ministers to propose changes to the law so that businesspeople know that if they are “honest” they will not have any issues.

Speaking about the state aid scheme regulated by GD 807, he said the planned budget of EUR 1 billion is set to mobilize total investments of EUR 5 billion in the local economy in the next years. He added that GD 807 will be changed in order to ease the application procedure for companies. Dragnea also pointed out that additional funding could be granted through state aid if the eligible demand exceeds the EUR 1 billion budget.

Dragnea also suggested that smaller companies should become eligible for state funding.