Citizens who woke up at 3 a.m, in the first days of 2013, to pay their taxes ahead of time so they could receive a discount, may have the surprise to see that they have nevertheless paid more than they should have.
Economist Cristina Chiriac said that the Ponta government had the obligation to issue an emergency ordinance which would amend the current Tax Code by December 31st, 2012, so that the mayors would know the levels of the taxes applicable starting with January 1st, 2013. "Some of the mayors opted not to wait for the amendment of the Tax Code, raising the local taxes, but others, who either had money in their local budgets, or didn't know how to construe the new fiscal regulations, chose to wait for the clarifications from the government. Currently in effect is the old Fiscal Code, which has not been amended by the Ordinance issued by the Ponta government in 2012, by which the local taxes are updated to match the level of inflation".
The scandal of the taxes has started since Sunday, when former prime minister Emil Boc, who is currently the mayor of Cluj, has asked the government and Victor Ponta to urgently issue a Government ordinance which would make it optional for local authorities to raise local taxes.
At the end of last year, the government has passed a decision concerning the updating of the local taxes with the rate of inflation over the last three years, namely their raising with 16.05%. The Government Ordinance was published in the Official Gazette on December 28th.
Prime minister Ponta has asked for the agenda of Friday's (January 4th) government meeting to include the Ordinance which establishes that it is the mayors who decide to adjust the local taxes, but he said that the deed will be published after president Băsescu will sign the law which enables the Government to issue Ordinances.
On Friday, Victor Ponta sa
