Former Minister of Finance says that Bolojan will make an error if he accepts to become a prime minister without increasing VAT. “It will be thrown into our swords”
Interim president Ilie Bolojan participates in the solemn meeting to confirm and validate the result of the elections for the position of president of Romania, at the CCR headquarters, on May 22, 2025. Photo: Agerpres
However, the political equation of the new government has been simplified, without reducing, to the next difference. President Nicușor Dan wants a government with Bolojan without VAT enlargement, and Ilie Bolojan accepts but if VAT can increase from 19% to 21%.
VAT increase from 19% to 21% could bring to Romania 2.3-2.4 billion euros per year. And this even when ANAF does not improve the collection, according to the calculations of journalist Dan Popa, published in Hotnews. Any improvement over the “non -lactated” of 30% today would bring even more money to the budget.
Here the discussions for the formation of the new government and the budget rebalancing, according to the consistent political sources were blocked.
Dan Vîlceanu, former Liberal Minister of Finance in the Cîțu Government, said at the podcast “informed people”, supported by the journalist Ioana Ene Dogioiu, that it would be a hero from the PNL interim chief to accept the Government if the president does not offer the lever of the big decisions, as is the VAT.
“Nicușor Dan also has the political interest that, in perspective, Ilie Bolojan's confidence will decrease,” said Vîlceanu.
But beyond these long -term calculations, the former finance minister said, the short -term government must be put and the budget situation must be resolved. The temptation of Ilie Bolojan “to sacrifice” is a “deeply wrong” one, says Vîlceanu. He says that Bolojan is of good faith, but that we need “to be careful, to keep the swords in the sheath because it will be thrown into our swords, believing that Romanians will appreciate its sacrifice.”
And that, said, the former Minister of Finance is “deeply wrong”, because Romanians would appreciate a success of governance and not a sacrifice to take over a government without the tools to do the job you hired.
On Thursday, consultations took place, in Cotroceni, with the parliamentary parties. From political sources, he found out that another meeting follows, Thursday evening or Friday morning, between Nicușor Dan and Ilie Bolojan. And VAT remains the issue in dispute, according to information from several representatives of PSD, USR and PNL.
