Three-quarters of Romanians do not believe that the money from the new taxes will be managed efficiently.
Before any tax increase, the population demands the cutting of privileges and the fight against waste in the public sector. These are the main conclusions of the study Consumer Sentiment – Taxes 2025, conducted by the research agency MKOR.
74% of respondents express lack of confidence that the Government will use the revenues obtained from any new taxes efficiently.
In fact, almost half (48%) clearly state that the priority measures should be anti-privilege actions: cutting special pensions (29%) and combating corruption and tax evasion (19%).
"Romanians do not reject taxes, but the lack of fairness. Until privileges are cut and where the money goes is clearly communicated, any new taxation will face distrust and resistance," says Cori Cimpoca, the founder of MKOR.
Government, Parliament, and Parties - minimal trust scores
Political institutions have recorded the lowest level of trust since the launch of the MKOR study in 2023. The Government has an average score of 2.5 on a scale from 1 to 7, while the Parliament drops to 2.3, and political parties to a record low of 2.1.
On the other hand, local administrations (3.4) and security institutions (Police, National Bank, banks) remain in a "gray" area of credibility.
Only Schools (4.7), the Church (4.0), and the Healthcare System (4.0) exceed the symbolic threshold of 4, signaling a rather positive perception.
Main fear: Higher VAT, more expensive daily basket
When asked about the fiscal measures that worry them the most, 64% of respondents indicated the increase in VAT from 19 to 21%. In second place is the elimination of price capping on food (42%), followed by the introduction of a tax on bank transactions (32%) and property taxation at market value (28%).
The scenario of a progressive income tax worries 24% of Romanians, especially in rural areas, where this percentage increases by 10 percentage points.
How Romanians are preparing for the new taxes
96% of Romanians declare that they will take measures to adapt to the new fiscal realities. Most say they will look for cheaper alternatives for current goods and services (51%), will reduce the budget for holidays and entertainment (49%), or will postpone major purchases (34%).
Youth from Generation Z say they will save more (46%), while 22% of respondents would look for a better-paying job. Only 4% say they will not change anything in their financial behavior.
The survey was conducted online, on a sample of 1,250 adults from Romania. The data was collected between June 20 and 22, and the margin of error is ±2.8%, at a confidence level of 95%.