Former Minister of Economy and current USR deputy, Claudiu Năsui, has published a list of 13 measures through which the Romanian state could save 32 billion lei, without cutting pensions, social benefits, or the defense budget.
According to the economist, these reductions can be made immediately without affecting investments from European funds or their co-financing.
Năsui’s message comes at a time when the Government signals a possible increase in taxes.
– Nicușor Dan supports a political government and a common austerity plan
– Business people, firm message to Nicușor Dan: We repeat for the tenth time. We do not accept tax increases. What measures have they proposed
### Capped Bonuses, Not Eliminated
One of Năsui’s most important proposals is **capping bonuses and salary increases** at 30% of the base salary for all public sector employees. The measure does not imply the total elimination of these benefits, but only their limitation. Capping would eliminate abuses without completely cutting supplements.
### Salaries Only Up to the President’s Level
Năsui also proposes **capping all income in the public system** at the level of the President of Romania’s salary. Currently, there are numerous officials or agency directors who earn more than the head of state.
### Less Staff, Through Justified Layoffs
Another sensitive point is public sector personnel. Năsui proposes **simplifying the procedure for dismissing public sector employees** in case of budget cuts, so that salary expenses are reduced by 10% annually.
– Nervousness among entrepreneurs. Layoffs, inflation, and capital exodus – the costs of Romania’s turn (Romanian Business Leaders survey)
### Unnecessary Expenses on Goods and Services
**Reducing expenses for goods and services by 10%** is another proposed measure, except for the healthcare sector. In practice, this would mean limiting exaggerated public procurement.
### End of Transport and Accommodation Allowances and „Training” Tourism
Năsui calls for **eliminating transport and accommodation allowances for state officials**, which he considers a disguised form of salary supplement. He says these allowances are abused in Parliament. Additionally, he calls for **stopping professional training courses** organized in mountain or seaside resorts, funded by public money. Training should take place at the institution’s headquarters or online, without additional expenses and without disguised team-building events.
– How much do their trips cost (8) In Craiova, allowances remain secret. Bonus: Where have officials from Constanța traveled
### Subsidies for Parties, an Unnecessary Luxury
One of the most popular proposals is **stopping subsidies to political parties**, which exceeded 250 million lei in 2024. Public funds could be used for social needs or investments, instead of being spent on image campaigns or luxurious headquarters.
### PNDL and Other „Party Piggy Banks”
Năsui calls for **stopping the National Local Development Program (PNDL)** and other redistribution programs to the Administrative-Territorial Units (ATUs), so that they are not politically exploited. Local administration funding would be transparent, based on concrete projects.
### No Public Funds for Private Companies
Another radical proposal is **stopping all subsidies and state aid schemes** for companies if they come directly from the central budget. Additionally, he proposes **halting capital increases for state-owned companies**, which should become financially independent or enter real competition in the market.
– BENCHMARK: A study places Romania last in the EU in supporting the private sector through PNRR and first in financing bankrupt state-owned companies
### Research System Reform
Regarding the National Research and Development Institutes (NRDIs), Năsui proposes **eliminating grants and „core” funding**, so that these institutions self-finance from the services they provide. Such a measure would force the NRDIs to focus on performance and concrete results.
### Cutting Redundant Positions and Contracts
Năsui also proposes **eliminating the special administrator function** for companies in the privatization process. He also calls for **prohibiting the hiring of lawyers paid with public funds** for cases that do not involve material damages, such as those under Law 544 on free access to public information.
– Kelemen Hunor is categorical: The deficit cannot be addressed on one side alone. It doesn’t work with just tax increases or cuts in budgetary expenses
Năsui’s calculations, based on the budget voted by Parliament for 2025, show that the proposed measures would save 32 billion lei. These could be implemented immediately, without negatively impacting vulnerable populations or investment programs.
His message is clear: „No one should raise taxes. They raise taxes if they don’t want to bother and want to force Romanians to cut their expenses.”