Latest news with #Bolojan
The Star
14-07-2025
- Business
- The Star
Romanian government survives no confidence vote and pushes tax hikes through
FILE PHOTO: Romania's interim President Ilie Bolojan walks to attend a European Union summit in Brussels, Belgium March 20, 2025. REUTERS/Yves Herman/File Photo BUCHAREST (Reuters) -Romanian Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan's three-week old coalition government survived a no confidence vote on Monday, allowing it to push through unpopular tax hikes needed to lower the European Union's largest budget deficit. The government has fast-tracked through parliament an increase in value-added tax, excise duties and other levies from August to prevent a ratings downgrade to below investment level and to unblock access to EU funds. The broad coalition of four pro-European parties took power at the end of June, ending months of political deadlock after a presidential election was cancelled in December and was re-run in May. The parties have been reluctant to agree the hikes that have been criticised by employers and unionists while thousands of public sector workers have staged protests. The hard-right opposition filed Monday's no confidence motion and said it will file more. "I understand the opposition does not agree with the measures proposed by the government," Bolojan told lawmakers. "What then are the solutions? On the one hand we are told the problems in the economy are serious, on the other not to take these measures. We can't have both." While all four parties in the government approved the increases, the Social Democrats, the coalition's largest party without which a ruling majority cannot hold, criticised them on Monday. "For solid, continued political support we must quickly correct some of the absurd things from this first package of measures," Social Democrat leader Sorin Grindeanu said. The Social Democrats had supported replacing a flat rate of tax on income with progressive taxation instead of raising VAT, but the other parties did not support that and the tax authority has said it is not equipped to enforce it. Bolojan said earlier this month the coalition government would do everything possible to lower the deficit to around 8% of economic output by year-end from last year's 9.3% - above an initial 7% target - and closer to 6% in 2026. Under Romanian law, the tax measures could be challenged in the constitutional court, and the opposition last week said they would seek to do so. (Reporting by Luiza Ilie; editing by Barbara Lewis)
Straits Times
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
Romanian government survives no confidence vote and pushes tax hikes through
BUCHAREST - Romanian Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan's three-week old coalition government survived a no confidence vote on Monday, allowing it to push through unpopular tax hikes needed to lower the European Union's largest budget deficit. The government has fast-tracked through parliament an increase in value-added tax, excise duties and other levies from August to prevent a ratings downgrade to below investment level and to unblock access to EU funds. The broad coalition of four pro-European parties took power at the end of June, ending months of political deadlock after a presidential election was cancelled in December and was re-run in May. The parties have been reluctant to agree the hikes that have been criticised by employers and unionists while thousands of public sector workers have staged protests. The hard-right opposition filed Monday's no confidence motion and said it will file more. "I understand the opposition does not agree with the measures proposed by the government," Bolojan told lawmakers. "What then are the solutions? On the one hand we are told the problems in the economy are serious, on the other not to take these measures. We can't have both." Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore HSA intensifies crackdown on vapes; young suspected Kpod peddlers nabbed in Bishan, Yishun Singapore Man charged over distributing nearly 3 tonnes of vapes in one day in Bishan, Ubi Avenue 3 Singapore Public healthcare institutions to record all Kpod cases, confiscate vapes: MOH, HSA Singapore Man allegedly attacks woman with knife at Kallang Wave Mall, to be charged with attempted murder Singapore Singapore boosts support for Timor-Leste as it prepares to join Asean Singapore UN aviation and maritime agencies pledge to collaborate to boost safety, tackle challenges Singapore High Court dismisses appeal of drink driver who killed one after treating Tampines road like racetrack Singapore 18 years' jail for woman who hacked adoptive father to death after tussle over Sengkang flat While all four parties in the government approved the increases, the Social Democrats, the coalition's largest party without which a ruling majority cannot hold, criticised them on Monday. "For solid, continued political support we must quickly correct some of the absurd things from this first package of measures," Social Democrat leader Sorin Grindeanu said. The Social Democrats had supported replacing a flat rate of tax on income with progressive taxation instead of raising VAT, but the other parties did not support that and the tax authority has said it is not equipped to enforce it. Bolojan said earlier this month the coalition government would do everything possible to lower the deficit to around 8% of economic output by year-end from last year's 9.3% - above an initial 7% target - and closer to 6% in 2026. Under Romanian law, the tax measures could be challenged in the constitutional court, and the opposition last week said they would seek to do so. REUTERS
Qatar Tribune
07-07-2025
- Politics
- Qatar Tribune
New Romanian premier Bolojan links austerity plans to vote of confidence
Bucharest: New Romanian Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan has tied a vote of confidence in parliament to a stringent austerity programme just two weeks after taking office. If no faction submits a motion of no confidence within three days, Bolojan's programme will be considered adopted without further voting. Should a motion of no confidence be submitted and accepted by a parliamentary majority, the conservative prime minister will be deemed ousted and his programme rejected. The far-right Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) faction has hinted at submitting a motion of no confidence but would need votes from potential defectors within the ruling camp to secure a majority. (DPA)
Straits Times
07-07-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
Romanian government to face no-confidence vote over deficit-lowering tax hikes
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox BUCHAREST - Romania's two-week-old broad coalition government is set to face a no-confidence vote as it seeks to speed through planned tax hikes that have triggered street protests even though they are needed to avert a ratings downgrade to below investment grade. Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan sought on Monday to fast-track parliamentary approval of the hikes from August in a procedure that exposes the government to a no-confidence vote. As part of the process, the opposition hard-right Alliance for Uniting Romanians, or AUR, Romania's second-largest party, has three days to file a no-confidence motion, which it has already said it will seek. The motion would only pass if lawmakers from the four pro-European parties that form the government and have so far supported the tax hikes side with the opposition. "My appeal to colleagues in the opposition is this: take part in improving decisions, not in blocking them," Bolojan told lawmakers. "The appeal to all Romanians is ... that we are aware these measures will be felt in the day-to-day life of a very large number of citizens. We are working to shorten as much as possible the difficult period Romania will face." Romania ran four election campaigns last year, including a divisive presidential ballot that was cancelled and re-run this May. It had the highest budget deficit - 9.3% of economic output - in the European Union. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Eligible S'poreans to get up to $850 in GSTV cash, up to $450 in MediSave top-ups in August Singapore Four golf courses to close by 2035, leaving Singapore with 12 courses Singapore Singapore's second mufti Sheikh Syed Isa Semait dies at age 87 Singapore Fewer marriages in Singapore in 2024; greater marital stability for recent unions Singapore Competition watchdog gives SIA, M'sia Airlines conditional approval to continue cooperation Singapore About 20 delivery riders meet Pritam Singh to discuss platform worker issues Business OCBC sets loan target of $5b and covers more territories in boost for serial entrepreneurs Singapore Reform Party to leave opposition group People's Alliance for Reform; two parties remain The tax hikes, which were made public last week, have been criticised by employers and unionists alike and thousands of public sector workers have staged protests. The government will raise value added tax, excise duties and increase taxes including on dividends and banks' turnover. The impact is expected to be 9.5 billion lei ($2.21 billion) in 2025 and 35 billion lei ($8.14 billion) in 2026. An opinion survey released on Monday by pollster INSCOP Research showed the AUR would win 40% of votes in an election, whereas the ruling Social Democrats, currently the largest party in parliament, would get 13.7%. REUTERS
24-06-2025
- Business
Romanian lawmakers vote in favor of pro-EU coalition, aiming to end protracted political crisis
BUCHAREST, Romania -- Romanian lawmakers voted Monday decisively in favor of a new pro-European coalition government led by a center-right prime minister, as the European Union and NATO member nation seeks to end one of its worst political crises in its post-communist history. Parliament approved the new administration in a 301-9 vote in Romania's 464-seat legislature, days after Romania's new President Nicusor Dan nominated Ilie Bolojan of the center-right National Liberal Party, or PNL, to lead a new government. Some lawmakers from nationalist opposition parties were absent from the voting. The coalition is made up of the leftist Social Democratic Party, or PSD, the PNL, the reformist Save Romania Union party, and the small ethnic Hungarian UDMR party, with the support of national minorities. The ministerial positions will be shared among the parties, which will hold a comfortable majority. The prime ministerial position will be rotated in 2027 from Bolojan to a PSD premier as part of a power-sharing agreement. Ahead of the confidence vote on Monday, Bolojan, 56, called it a 'decisive moment" for Romania's future and said among his top priorities would be reducing the large budget deficit and reforming state institutions. 'Despite the challenges we face … Romania deserves a realistic and fair country project,' he said. 'Romania must be stronger and more secure, with an economy that can and must grow … with reformed institutions and respect for citizens.' With one of the highest budget deficits in the 27-nation EU bloc, the new government will face the challenge of introducing fiscal measures that Bolojan acknowledged could prove unpopular, especially ahead of a 2028 general election amid a growing shift toward populist parties. After parliament's approval, the Romanian president held a ceremony to swear in the new government at Cotroceni Palace in the capital, Bucharest. 'Today we begin a new chapter,' President Dan said. 'We must rebuild citizens' trust in the authorities of the Romanian state. It will be a long road, but I'm optimistic that we'll succeed.' Bolojan previously served as acting president earlier this year, until Dan decisively beat a hard-right opponent in a heated presidential election rerun. That vote was held months after the previous election was annulled by a top court, which plunged Romania into a deep political crisis and exposed deep societal divisions in the country. The previous coalition, sworn in last December, collapsed following Marcel Ciolacu's resignation in May, after the joint candidate failed to make the presidential runoff. The current broad coalition is viewed as a tactical partnership to shut out right-wing nationalists, whose voices found fertile ground during Romania's chaotic election cycle, with growing anti-establishment sentiment. Sorin Grindeanu, the PSD leader, said his party 'will be a responsible and honest partner' in the new coalition, which he said is for 'the good of this country and for the good of Romanians.' 'I wish (the coalition) to be strong for the next three and a half years,' he said. 'We are thus leaving the era of unprofitable interims and entering a period of rational and realistic solutions.' George Simion, the leader of the hard-right Alliance for the Unity of Romanians, who lost the presidency to Dan in the runoff, said he didn't think the coalition would make it through the year.
