The Ministry of Finance will not replace the minimum tax with the lump-based tax, as the latter is costly and difficult to apply in Romania, the minister of Public Finance, Gheorghe Ialomitianu, stated, quoted by Mediafax. He added that the government agreed with the IMF to introduce a simplified system, which should not be mistaken for a new tax. The minister further stated the reduction of social contributions would be taken into consideration, by mid-2011, to cut labour force costs, which are higher than in other countries, in the context in which neighbouring countries have started reducing taxes. Ialomitianu added the institution under his command was busy working on implementing a unified social security, healthcare and income tax return form.