Gorghiu: PNL will not back cut in CAS if it's not sustainable from budget perspective

PNL will not support the the project regarding the social insurance contributions (CAS) decrease with 5 percent if the initiative cannot be supported by budget, said the liberal co-president Alina Gorghiu, on Wednesday in Parliament.

“It is a project that you know very well that PNL had been in charge for as a legislative priority. This doesn’t mean that a correct discussion with the Government is not needed, not only to see the impact, but also what are the sources to support this easing or this decrease in taxes. In this moment, the Government says that there is no money in the budget. Even more, you know the public declaration of the labor minister, who said that the decrease in CAS might bring other measures. We exclude at this moment any alternative that implies pension cuts made by the Government as a result of a measure taken by the Romanian legislative,” said Gorghiu.

Also, she expressed her hope that the Parliament will not go “in elective year to collect votes, even if there are no budgetary resources.”

The senators adopted the last week the legislative proposal regarding the contribution to social insurance quota with 5 percent- 2 percent to the employer and 3 percent to the employee. The project was approved with 67 votes in favor, 23 against and one abstinence.

Also, last week the minister of Public Finance Anca Dragu said that Romania cannot afford to reduce social security contributions by 5 percent in 2017, as it would amount RON 7.7 billion.

The same opinion had the minister of labor, Dragos Pislaru who warned the Parliament that the decrease will bring cuts in budget salaries and a loss of RON 7.7 billion.

Georgiana Bendre