Pressured by the IMF, the government avoids the idea to increase current taxes but plans to introduce new ones, most newspapers read on Tuesday. Elsewhere in the news, former PSD President Mircea Geoana heared by anti-graft prosecutors in the anti-corruption case involving Senator Catalin Voicu. Romanian airline TAROM reopens air traffic to New York after seven years.
Pressured by the IMF, the government plans to introduce new taxes, Evenimentul Zilei reads, quoting Transports minister Radu Berceanu who declared that there are so many rich people that a tax on luxury cars.
Another idea advanced at the IMF meeting: a tax on real estate properties for those who own more than one household. However, ministers Videanu and Berceanu claim that there are no talks on increasing taxes in the government, while Finance minister Vladescu did not wish to talk on the subject.
Vladescu said that the debate will be over once the intention letter will be signed. The IMF urged the government to increase revenues to the budget. IMF chief of mission Jeffrey Franks avoided to comment on the measures he negotiates will the government, but insisted that in the next few months, taxes will not increase.
Elsewhere in the news, former PSD leader Mircea Geoana was heard by anti-graft prosecutors in the case involving Senator Catalin Voicu as a witness, Cotidianul reads. Geoana declared after the hearing that he had a short talk with prosecutors but did not want to comment more on the issue.
Apparently, as Senate's Speaker, Geoana mediated in 2006 a meeting between PSD deputy president Maria Schutz and Senator Catalin Voicu, according to sources from the Higher Court, quoted by HotNews.ro.
Last week, Maria Schutz was heard by anti graft prosecutors related to Voicu's intervention in one of his court trials.
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