Romania: more leeway for tax dodgers
The Romanian parliament has approved a law that allows tax evasion of up to one million euros (previously 100,000 euros) to go unpunished if the outstanding amount is paid within one month, with no investigations into the circumstances or those involved. Local media see the move as a counterproductive laissez-faire approach.
A weak state needs strong rules
The Romanian service of Deutsche Welle doesn't believe the new law will work:
“In a functioning state where the judiciary works efficiently, tax evaders can be forgiven if they pay a certain amount back to the state and pay part of their income [for example in the form of social projects] to society. ... But in the case of Romania this doesn't work. Here, the tax authorities usually let tax evaders off the hook. ... Here, the heads of the public prosecutor's offices have no personality and no courage. They put themselves at the service of politicians who pursue their own personal interests or those of their cliques and ignore the national interest.”
Investigators want to reduce their workload
Spotmedia comments on Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu's remark that the law could still be corrected if the Prosecutor's Office and investigators see its weaknesses:
“However, Prosecutor General Alex Florența and the head of the National Anti-corruption Directorate DNA, Marius Voineag, are deafeningly silent. Why? Because, according to credible sources, they were both consulted on the draft law and even helped to draft it. Ciolacu can be sure that they will not ask him to make any changes. Clearly there is no longer any interest in fighting crime at the level of the prosecutor's offices. The DNA's record is probably the worst in years, with investigations being shelved and charges being dropped in major cases.”