RO Govt. adopts changes to “greed tax” ordinance by emergency ordinance

Romania’s Government discussed on Monday, January 6, an emergency ordinance that brings changes to the much-debated emergency ordinance 114 adopted by the former PSD cabinet of Viorica Dancila in the last days of 2018, also known as the “greed tax” ordinance, Mediafaxreported.

The Liberal Government led by prime minister Ludovic Orban initially passed these changes through a bill for which it took responsibility in front of the Parliament, at the end of last year.

However, PSD challenged the bill at the Constitutional Court thus blocking it.

Thus, the changes to ordinance 114 could not be enforced on January 1, 2020, as planned by the Government, which is why the Liberals decided to adopt an emergency ordinance to enforce those changes immediately, prime minister Orban explained on Monday.

One of the changes promoted by the Government is limiting the reference for traffic fines to RON 145 (EUR 30).

According to ordinance 114, the base for calculating traffic fines should have increased significantly starting January 1, 2020, to about RON 223 (EUR 47), which is 10% of the minimum gross wage.

The Government also said it would freeze the salaries of public officials, which would have grown based on ordinance 114, and delay the implementation of special pensions for some categories of local administration officials (mayors, deputy mayors).

(Photo: Gov.ro)