Iohannis: A significant delay in tax measures would be required

President Klaus Iohannis said on Monday that a significant delay in the amendments to the tax legislation would be required, adding that the January 1, 2018 deadline for their application is inopportune. 

"We have all seen that besides the initiators, everyone is against these changes. I think anyone who wants to make so wide changes and sees that no one wants to go along should pause and think. It requires a significant delay, at the very least, a very well-grounded study, and then things can be discussed peacefully. I think it is totally inopportune to aim for January 1, 2018 as the implementation deadline," Iohannis said after attending a gala of the Association of Romania's Municipalities hosted by the Athenaeum in Bucharest. 

He reiterated that the amendments to the tax legislation represent a fiscal and budgetary "cavorting" of the Government. 

"I think you remember that a few days ago, last week, I showed my whole skepticism about the changes in the tax legislation. I called this PSD behaviour cavorting in the tax and budget area and everything I have seen on television and all I heard today confirms that my assessment was as accurate as possible. I would have preferred to see today a Government determined to make serious assessments, to come up with real-world simulations to see if these measures are really the best or not; I did not see that, I saw instead meetings between the same politicians who came out with the same opinions," said Iohannis. 

He added that he had not talked with Prime Minister Mihai Tudose.