A draft law submitted to the Senate by finance minister Eugen Teodorovici provides for prison sentences for those who fail to pay their taxes and contributions to the state, both individuals and companies, local Adevarul reported.

“It is considered offense and is punished with imprisonment from 1 year to 6 years the acts of retention and non-payment, collection and non-payment or, as the case may be, the non-retention or non-collection, within no more than 30 days from the due date provided by law, of the taxes and/or contributions provided in the annex to this law,” the draft law reads.

According to the annex, the bill refers to the tax on dividends, salaries, pensions, leases, independent activities, intellectual property rights, the health insurance contributions, and others.

The same draft law also provides for prison sentences of between 2 and 7 years for the taxpayers who, in bad faith, set the taxes and contributions in a way that results in “obtaining, without right, certain amounts of money as reimbursements or refunds from the general consolidated budget or compensations due to the general consolidated budget.”

The finance minister also proposes prison time for those who try or do hide some goods to avoid paying taxes.

newsroom@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Gov.ro)