New Romanian Tax Evasion And Fraud Panel Convenes

by Ulrika Lomas, Tax-News.com, Brussels

28 August 2009

At the first meeting of the newly established committee on tax evasion and fraud, Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc welcomed progress in the crackdown on tax evasion and tax-related fraud, urging that it continue to allow the government to freeze tax rates and restore public confidence in the tax system.

According to Boc, the committee on tax evasion, comprised of experts from several government organizations, has been formed “to analyze the [extent of fiscal crime] and propose legislative amendments, or other instructions necessary to combat tax evasion.”

Boc emphasized at the meeting that collections should be made according to a “nobody is above the law” principle, underscoring that everyone is equal with respect to paying taxes.

During the course of the meeting, Vice Premier Dan Nica evaluated the progress of the tax authorities’ joint effort in tackling fiscal crime. He reported that in the first six months of 2009, there were 4,600 tax evasion offences, amounting to LEI855m, with a further 3,118 cases currently under investigation.

The President of the Agentia Nationala de Administrare Fiscala (ANAF), Sorin Blejnar, concluded the meeting by presenting an evaluation of common tax evasion and fraud offences together with a set of proposals to combat them. Blejnar noted that tax evasion was most prevalent in imports and exports of vegetable, fruits, cereals, meat and meat products.

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