Update: Fin Min asks for resignation of Romanian tax authority head

Eugen Teodororovici, the finance minister, allegedly sent to PM Viorica Dăncilă a letter requesting the resignation of Ionuţ Mişa, the head of the tax authority ANAF, News.ro reported. Teodororovici is unhappy with Mişa’s activity, sources told News.ro. UPDATE: Teodorovici confirmed today, January 3, that he requested Mișa’s resignation. “The year 2019 is a very important one and ANAF needs to radically change its behavior in the economy. We are talking about a reform of ANAF, about the computerization of the institution and we plan to make 2019 the year these things happen,” Teodorovici said, quoted by Hotnews.ro. The prime minister is due to analyze the request and take a decision. Misa, a former finance minister himself, and Teodororovici have a cold relationship. In April of last year, Teodorovici warned Mişa that he needs to follow the targets concerning tax collection, upon which the 2018 budget was set, while Mişa was a finance minister. Teodororovici repeated the warning in July, saying he was not willing to accept any deviation from the collection plan. Romania’s general consolidated budget, which includes the state budget as well as the pension and social security budget, recorded a deficit of RON 26 billion (EUR 5.58 billion) in the first 11 months of 2018. This represents 2.7% of the GDP, and it is almost three times higher compared to the similar period of the previous year, according to Finance Ministry data quoted by News.ro. In the first 11 months of 2017, the budget deficit was of RON 10.2 billion, namely 1.21% of the GDP. In the same period of 2016, the budget deficit was of RON 5.5 billion, or 0.73% of the GDP. Romanian tax agency head gets ultimatum from finance minister to increase tax collection Romania’s budget deficit reached 2.88% of the GDP in 2017 Romania’s economy in 2018: growth slows down amid rising imbalances (Photo: Pixabay) editor@romania-insider.com