Bolojan's explanations regarding the disputes in the coalition on VAT receipts: “The communion plans differ from what is discussed at the table”

Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan stated, on Thursday evening, on Digi24, that he constantly talks with PSD leader Sorin Grindeanu and the other party leaders in the governing coalition and that together they have “as good as possible” communication. The Prime Minister claims, however, that in the political world there are always two types of approaches: communication from private meetings or meetings and public communication, which differ.

“You should know that I have constant discussions with Mr. Grindeanu and the other party presidents, we discuss governance issues, we meet weekly, usually on Tuesdays, in the coalition meeting, discussing governance issues and we have communication, and I try to have the best possible communication with all those with whom I have to relate,” said Ilie Bolojan, quoted by News.ro.

Asked if Sorin Grindeanu had erroneous information when he declared that VAT receipts had decreased, although data from the Ministry of Finance showed that receipts had increased, Bolojan referred to “two types of approaches”.

“Here, in our world, there are always two types of approaches. The ones that are done in private spaces, in meetings, where things proceed rationally, in the most correct manner possible. Generally, these things happen in Government meetings. And even if there are divergent opinions, even if in the working meetings we do not all agree on one issue or another, but in the end a solution is reached and we put it into practice. The second plan is the plan of communication. In general, in the communication plans of many public figures, there are statements, positions that are different from what is discussed at a table, from the information that is given”, said Bolojan.

VAT receipts, subject of controversy

In the matter of VAT receipts – where some say that it was collected better, others that it was collected less even though VAT has increased since August 1, Bolojan declared: “The Ministry of Finance has been in constant contact with all parties. Mr. Nazare participated in the coalition meetings where he presented the evolution of receipts, what are the budget problems.”

The president of the PSD, Sorin Grindeanu, said on Wednesday, about the receipts at the state budget, that he saw various points of view during this period, some who said that it was collected much better, others who say that, on the contrary, even if the VAT increased, the receipts were not up to par. The PSD leader announced that he asked his colleagues for an analysis and will come up with a point of view.

The Ministry of Finance showed, on Monday evening, that the receipts from VAT, in the July-September period, were approximately 35.48 billion lei, out of a total of 94.75 billion lei related to the first 9 months of 2025.

In addition, compared to the period January – September 2025 vs. 2024, over 2/3 of the additional VAT revenues compared to last year are generated between July and September. ANAF collected 12,556.82 million lei from VAT in August, and 12,207.44 million lei in September.

The Ministry of Finance claims that August is, traditionally, one of the months with the lowest level of economic activity, hence the lower receipts, despite the VAT increase from August 1.

PSD Senator Felix Stroe wrote on Facebook on Monday that “the analysis of budget executions shows that the increased VAT brings less revenue to the state budget, as a share of GDP, compared to the period before the increase. Moreover, it does not contribute to reducing the deficit and is therefore a FAILURE”.

“Unfortunately, we are all still paying the price for the lack of economic vision of the prime minister in office, i.e. a rekindled inflation, double compared to the beginning of the year, as a result of the VAT increase and the abandonment of the energy price ceiling. It is worth noting the difference between how much VAT – as a share of GDP – was collected in 2021 and 2022 (6.1% of GDP) and how much is collected now (5.7% of GDP), although, since August, the VAT rates have increased – from 5 and 9%, to 11%, for the reduced rate and from 19% to 21%, for the general rate”, the social democrat also wrote, not being the only PSD representative to send messages of this kind.

“The PSD alternative to the VAT and tax increases was and remains the stimulation of the economy, therefore implicitly of trust and consumption, seconded by progressive taxation, which is much more ethical and socially just”, Felix Stroe also conveyed.

And the former USR Minister of the Economy, Claudiu Năsui, criticized the VAT increase, in a message posted on Facebook on Monday: “The figures still confirm what I said: higher taxes, lower receipts. The VAT increase only impoverished the Romanians. Let's hope that they will learn a little economics from this and will not increase taxes because they “have to”.