Romanian Ruling Party Lawmakers Say They Voted For Lower VAT On Food, Tax-Exempt Pensions By Mistake

The Chamber of Deputies Tuesday passed two bills, one lowering VAT on basic foods to 5% from 24% and another exempting pensions lower than 2,000 lei (EUR1=RON4.2940) from income taxes. Both bills had been previously rejected by the Senate, and the lower house had the final say before they are to be sent to the head of state for promulgation.

Mircea Toader, leader of democrat liberal MPs in the Chamber of Deputies, said the party's lawmakers voted in favor of the bills by accident, adding the party will move to get both bills annulled.

Finance Minister Gheorghe Ialomitianu, who voted for the bill lowering VAT on food, explained lawmakers thought they were voting to uphold a report by the chamber's commissions rejecting the bill.

"The vote was in favor of rejecting the bill," he said, adding there are two ways to fix the matter: either the head of state sends the bill back to Parliament or the Government corrects it.

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