Vodafone. In a move rarely seen in Romania, the mobile phone operator harshly criticized a series of changes prepared by the Romanian Government for the regulation of electronic communications in our country. The mobile phone operator Vodafone claims that these changes irreparably affect both the development of the digital economy in Romania, as well as the customers, who will have to bear an increase in the prices of services due to the new taxes introduced by the government.
Vodafone. The operator claims that the taxes that the Government of Romania wants to impose are unprecedented for the industry in our country, and here we are more than likely referring to the 5G licenses for Romania. Vodafone accuses the government of the fact that it did not subject to public debate these tax changes that it wants to impose on companies, and that they would be against including the European regulations in force at the moment, the operator's attack being a completely unexpected one.
Vodafone. HARD WARNING for the Romanian GOVERNMENT and Customers
Vodafone. According to the company, ANCOM would record a budget surplus of 500 million LEI in 2018, money that should have gone to various IT&C projects, and their existence is a justification for not increasing taxes or 5G license prices. Vodafone is the first mobile phone operator in Romania to issue such a warning to the Romanian Government, but it is very possible that Orange and Telekom will have a similar position soon.
The measures proposed by the Emergency Ordinance aimed at changing the regulatory framework of electronic communications irreparably affect not only the development of the digital economy, but also the interests of end users. The latter will have to bear in the price of the services purchased, both the new taxes introduced and the increase of the existing ones. The new measures have not been the subject of any consultation process with the telecommunications industry or the regulatory authority in the field. Any legislative change, regardless of the area to which it applies, must be fair, proportionate in terms of cost-benefit ratio and necessary. the measures imposed on the industry are excessive, the tax increases being unprecedented in the history of the telecom industry in Romania.
Vodafone. It is unusual that we see such an attitude from a company that until now has not publicly fought in such a way to criticize decisions to impose new taxes on foreign companies operating in Romania. The Romanian government recently announced a series of changes aimed at bringing new revenues to the state budget, and Vodafone is most likely just starting a wave of negative reactions that we will see in the coming days from foreign companies.
