Romanian President sends 2019 budget law to Constitutional Court

Romania’s President Klaus Iohannis sent the 2019 budget bill, drafted by the Government and endorsed by the Parliament, to the Constitutional Court complaining that the executive has violated the law on public finances, fiscal responsibility and EU treaties.

Iohannis claims that the Fiscal Council should have given an opinion on all the amendments admitted during the parliamentary debates, local Hotnews.ro reported.

The bill fails to observe the fiscal and budgetary responsibility law 69/2010 regarding the responsibility assumed by the Government, Iohannis also objected. Thirdly, the budget law violates the Fiscal Compact since it fails to at least converge to the medium-term objective of 1% of GDP structural fiscal deficit.

Separately, under the fiscal and budgetary responsibility law, the Government should have explained why its macroeconomic forecast differs so much from that of the European Commission. The bill also violates the rights of the residents with special needs, since the disbursement of the benefits for such persons is assigned to local administration along insufficient financial resources.

Finally, the development ministry is allowed, in violation of the fiscal and budgetary law, to shift funds among sections of the budgets and programmes.

(Photo source: Presidency.ro)