The optimistic figures announced by Prime Minister Sorin Grindeanu last Thursday regarding the increase in tax collection seem to be based on a forced „loan” from companies for the state.
The data announced by the prime minister, corroborated with the phenomena behind the optimistic figures, show that things are not better, but even worse than predicted.
The prime minister announced a spectacular advance in VAT collection in March, with an 8.2% increase compared to March 2016. The prime minister also reported an increased tax collection in February – although more modest, with 2.5% compared to the same month of last year.
The announced increases have though a tough reality behind: the delays in refunding VAT to companies (especially to exporters) reverted to the economy, so the so-called increase in tax collection is based, in fact, on the VAT debts that the state has in relation to the economy and the difficulties caused for companies.
According to the data obtained by cursdeguvernare.ro from the Ministry of Finance, the state refunded in January this year VAT amounted to about 1.2 billion lei – and registered a problem in terms of collection rate.
The situation recovered, however, in February and March – although the state collected less during these months: 0.918 billion in February and 0.730 in March.
From where does the „increase of the VAT collection rate” come then?
From the non-payment of VAT refunds in the two months when, despite that the tax collection decreased, the „tax collection rate” increased.
The same data obtained by cursdeguvernare.ro indicate that the state refunded VAT by 32% less in February than in 2016 and by 43% less in March than in the same month of the last year.
All these amounts will have to be paid in the future when it is expected to be a problem for the Government to further get away with the collection rate and when it must refund what has postponed in February and March. Added to that, the problems caused to the companies with these delays.
