Prime Minister Victor Ponta wrote to PNL Co-Presidents Alina Gorghiu and Vasile Blaga, announcing that he wanted to draw their attention to the company Realitatea Media that, according to him, severely dodges law stipulations and tax obligations, but who allegedly claim to have the protection and support by PNL.
“The fight against tax evasion is (from my point of view, but also as far as public interest is concerned), just as important as the fight against corruption! (…) I wish, under these circumstances, to draw your attention to a trade company that severely dodges law stipulations and tax obligations – claiming, at the same time, that it enjoys the protection and support of the National Liberal Party, whom you represent in honour”, the open letter published by Victor Ponta on his Facebook account says.
Ponta mentions that there are four years since SC Realitatea Media SA declared their insolvency and that it has kept piling debt during this interval as well.
“At the time they declared insolvency, their debt to the consolidated state budget reached a sum of RON 36.04 million. Four years after that moment, the respective society did not just omit paying anything of that debt, but, in the meantime, they made further debt of RON 56.59 million – by not paying any of the regular debt any other company or individual pays, according to the law.) The total value of their present debt to the consolidated state budget has reached today RON 92.63 million (over EUR 20 million) and new sums are added to that every day!”, the Prime Minister pointed out.
ANAF demanded in Court the bankruptcy of the company and filed a legal report at the ICCJ Prosecutors’ Office
Ponta also points out that the National Agency for Fiscal Administration (ANAF) has demanded in Court the bankruptcy of the company and has filed a legal report at the ICCJ Prosecutors’ Office.
“ANAF completed all possible legal measures (request of bankruptcy to Section VII – Civil Issues – of the Bucharest Court, a legal report at the Prosecutors’ Office of the High Court of Cassation and Justice, report at CSM), yet, all of these had no concrete effect so far, as they are still under investigation (which, obviously, shows there are issues in the activity of the respective judges”, Ponta went on.
He pointed out that, at this time, the representatives of SC Realitatea Media SA have allegedly declared in public that they enjoyed PNL “protection” as they support the activity of this party and criticise the activity of the Government and of other political parties.
“Considering the situation that was created due to the statements made by the representatives of the respective company and by your constant support of their activity, I will publicly ask you two concrete questions: 1: Do you consider that SC Realitatea Media SA should pay the RON 92.63 million (over EUR 20 million) owed to the consolidated state budget, sums that have added up as they omitted to pay taxes they owed the state for four years? Yes or No (no “if”s and suppositions allowed). 2. In case your party overtakes the Government, will you support the legal efforts made by ANAF to recover this huge sum, or you will consider that they must be “forgiven” as some kind of reward for the political support received by your party nowadays? Yes or No?” Ponta questions PSD leaders.
Gorghiu: Ponta is the one accused of evasion and money laundering and, still, he keeps attacking others
PNL Co-President Alina Gorghiu responded by pointing out that, of all people, Prime Minister Victor Ponta is the one accused of tax evasion and money laundering by prosecutors and yet, he still keeps accusing others. She also declared that Ponta is trying to “move public attention from the great blow that hit him and PSD – Mayor Oprescu’s arrest”.
“Victor Ponta is trying to move public attention from the terrible blow he and PSD have endured – the arrest of Mayor Sorin Oprescu. Not a day passes without him finding an adversary, more or less imaginary. I know one thing for sure: of all people, the Prime Minister is the one accused by prosecutors of tax evasion and money laundering and yet, Mr. Ponta is also the one criticising others. He has no credibility left, neither for me and nor for Romanian citizens. I inform Mr. Ponta that the debt to the state owed by media institutions is a responsibility of ANAF, so, therefore, it is Mr. Ponta’s responsibility. If, nonetheless, Mr. Ponta admits his lack of competence through the message he has sent to the leaders of the Opposition, I admit I find it hard to understand what keeps him in his position of Prime Minister”, Alina Gorghiu declared on Tuesday.
She also declared that Prime Minister Ponta has the same grudge against television stations that dare to criticise him as former President Traian Basescu.
“I also observe that Prime Minister Ponta shares the same grudge former President Basescu used to have against television stations that dared to criticise him. The Prime Minister’s reactions are among the most striking on the political scene, at this time, and are making PSD a great disfavour”, Gorghiu stated.
The PNL leader added that all companies that have this kind of debt must pay it, regardless of whether they are private or state-owned companies.
“As for the debt to the state, my position is unequivocal. All companies that have such debt must pay it – whether they are private companies or state-owned ones. Before throwing the stone, though, Prime Minister Ponta has the obligation of solving his personal situation, that affects Romania’s image”, Gorghiu pointed out.
