According to Romanian PM Mihai Tudose, the 3.2 percent deficit recorded in the first half of 2017 will go below the 3 percent threshold. He also expected the budget rectification planned of August to be a positive one.
“As a rule the first semester is worse than the last. It starts with winter because nothing is moving. The 3.2 percent of the first semester, the worst, is ultimately a proof of our positive thinking and of the commitment not to jump over the 3 percent, I say it will even be below 3 percent. (…) Eurostat said it was 3.2 percent. (…). I believe that 3.2 percent at the middle of the year means below 3 percent at the end of the year because now projects start to move, the money begins to pour into the economy, on the large projects. The European money is here, something that we didn’t have in the first half of the year, so there are a few arguments,” Mihai Tudose told Antena 3 broadcaster.
He also mentioned the role of National Agency for Fiscal Administration (ANAF) in balancing the budget. “Some clear economic and financial discipline will certainly lead to the balancing of the budget and to keeping the deficit at 3 percent. This means ANAF will work more intensely on the financial discipline side and in fact it was also a matter of putting into practice the big investigation problems,” the PM said.
According to PM Tudose, the fact that from time to time the opposition warns that the state budget will not be able to provide enough money to pay for salaries and pensions is a sign of irresponsibility.
“One cannot be so irresponsible as to throw such messages on the market from the position of opposition leader, it is totally irresponsible,” Tudose argued. “I assure you there is enough money for wages, there is money for pensions, there is money for healthcare systems, for teaching and for investments,” the Romanian PM explained.