Though some of the types of fines were reduced in May, when the amendments to the fiscal legislation took effect, the fines remain rather heavy for most of the economic entities, especially small businesses, Cristina Ciumac, of the Meat Producers Employers Association, said in public debates centering on the tax penalties, which were staged by the team of the National Business Agenda and the Institute for Development and Social Initiatives “Viitorul”.

“The tax penalties are not proportional to the damage caused to the budget by violating the legislation. There are companies for which the fine of 10,000 lei is insignificant. But for a company with three-four employees, the imposition of a fine is equal to its disappearance,” said Cristina Ciumac.

Chairman of the Association of Carriers and Road Workers Eugen Datsko said the fines imposed repeatedly in the passenger transportation sector were the cause for the withdrawal of about 400 minibuses running on routes in Chisinau.

The participants in the debates mentioned also the lack of transparency in imposing fines and penalties and the fact that the provisions of the fiscal legislation are not clear and can be interpreted in different ways. They said the tax inspectors see potential offenders in the economic entities and neglect the presumption of innocence.

Head of the Parliament’s commission on economy, budget and finance Veaceslav Ionita said that both the Government and Parliament pay special attention to the necessity of diminishing the fines. The fines at the first stage were cut in 2011. In May the fine for the absence of cash registers was decreased from 10,000 to 7,000 lei, for not issuing sales slips – from 7,000 to 5,000 lei, while for not issuing tickets in units of transport – from 7,000 to 3,000 lei. They should be further reduced as the heavy fines create conditions for bribery.

“Viitorul” executive director Liubomir Chiriac said the suggestions formulated in the public debates will be synthesized and published on the website of the National Business Agenda and of the Institute “Viitorul”.