BNR Expert: Tax on High Salaries Could Impact Pensions and Services for Seniors

An expert from the National Bank of Romania has issued a serious warning regarding the impact of new fiscal policies on the national economy, which could directly affect pensioners' incomes and the quality of social care services for older people.

The proposed surcharge on salaries above €2,000 per month raises major concerns about a possible economic scenario similar to that experienced by Greece during the 2011 crisis. Experts warn that such fiscal measures may lead to the blocking of essential economic mechanisms.

For Romania's senior citizens, a potential economic crisis could mean pension cuts, delays in inflation-linked uprating, and a reduction in funds allocated to care services. The healthcare system and the social support network for older people could be among the first to be affected.

The expert highlights that overtaxing higher incomes may produce a counterproductive effect, discouraging investment and innovation in key sectors, including elderly care and medical technologies aimed at older people.

Romania is already facing significant challenges in ensuring an adequate level of pensions and services for an increasingly ageing population. Any measure that could destabilise the national economy would compound these existing problems.