“From my point of view, we should be heading as much as we can towards targeted areas (...) I would like fruits and vegetables to be next, because we are facing a huge tax evasion there together with unlawful competition between local producers and fruits and vegetables being imported from outside the European Union or those from the EU where we are faced with an evasion from intra-community taxes", Ponta said on a TV station.
Ponta added that there was also the option to reduce the VAT down to 9% both for meat and fruits and vegetables, if possible.
"Let’s try and see, maybe we can do them together", Ponta said when asked whether that meant that fruits and vegetables would be considered first before the meat in terms of VAT reduction.
He specified though that he expected the evaluations for the first semester regarding the collections from the VAT on bread.
A reduced VAT rate on basic foods and the return to a VAT level of 19% are measures featured in the fiscal-budgetary framework of the new Government program.
At the end of December, Premier Ponta stated that a likely reduction of the value added tax on products other than bread would be considered only after July 1.
VAT was increased by the Government in the summer of 2010 from 19% to 24%.
The prime minister also said that the return of VAT to 19% is sustainable only if Romania continues to register the same growth as last year, of over 3%.