Bolos: Over-taxation for energy traders is moral solution that can generate additional revenue to budget

 

"Of course, this energy problem and the crisis we are going through is not a very easy one for the Government and measures must be identified both in this component of energy independence, as well as in the social area, where people need this support," Bolos said for private TV broadcaster Digi 24.

 

Regarding the funding sources for the capping and compensation measures, the minister mentioned the money that comes from the fiscal activity of the state, being "a period in which this increase in the price of utilities, but also of costs in general and inflation generates additional revenues for the state budget".

 

"There is a percentage that partially covers this area of compensations that would be borne from the state budget. On the other hand, they are working on a system of overtaxation for what this chain of producer-distributor, traders on the stock exchange means, who surely accumulate capital during this period, sometimes even speculatively. It is an option that can generate additional revenues for the state budget and after that the compensatory measures would have a source of income and a source of financing. It would be somewhat unfair in this period for these capital accumulations formed on the energy producer-supplier chain, for those who trade energy to remain with these capital accumulations and not be taxed. I believe that there is a more than moral solution and a welcome solution for what this part of the compensation means and the effort that the state budget must make during this period. And, I think, it's a matter of normality," Marcel Bolos explained.

 

Asked if it is possible to regulate the market, given the conditions in which energy is already sold, the minister emphasized that this mechanism is very complicated, the one that tries regulating the area of energy selling, energy which is actually traded.

 

"Colleagues from the Ministry of Energy and the Coalition are thinking of these measures on two sides, on one side to compensate the population and non-household consumers, and the other for finding financing sources to cover the Romanian Government's effort during this period," Bolos pointed out.