The Minister of Labor deny the rumors on new fees for pensioners. What does the progressive taxation say

The Minister of Labor, Florin Manole, sent a message to the families affected by the new fiscal measures, stressing that the Government analyzed several variants before making recent decisions. Asked about the impact on the pensioners, Florin Manole has reminded that the average pension has increased by almost 50% in the last four years, reaching just under 3,000 lei.

Minister of Labor, Florin Manole. Photo: Mediafax

Invited on Friday night to Antena 3 CNN, the minister said that a possible alternative to the current measures would have been progressive taxation, a variant discussed before and after the coalition.

“There is an alternative to all these things. It has been publicly announced before and after the coalition formation. It is used in most European countries and it is progressive taxation. Progressive taxation would have meant an additional burden to those who have more. We would not have had a fair distribution of difficulties. explained Florin Manole.

The minister reiterated his position toward VAT growth: “I have always talked about the fact that the increased VAT would mean a problem for everyone.”

“There is no extra fee for pensioners”

Regarding the pensioners, the minister denied the information conveyed in the public space on possible new taxes: “There is no additional fee for pensioners who earn over 3,000 lei in this country than 10%CASS. Any other discussion does not have a real basis, it is a rumor or wrong, erroneous, an unclear, but there is no other except for 10%CASS.”

The minister stressed that the measure on health contribution was not easily taken:

“However, we are with an average pension under 3000 lei. The average pension has increased in the last 4 years by almost 50%. It was a consistent effort, a deserved effort. There has been this effort, pensions have grown, we are now in this new budget situation in which the Government has decided to increase the area of those contributing for health, it was not a measure to which I have to adhere to the PSD. Coalition did not have a joy when they chose this decision.

Finally, Florin Manole gave assurances that the process of recalculating pensions is carried out with maximum care: “There will be no mistakes. There is attention. Even today I had a discussion with the representatives of the Romanian pension houses.”