Almost 20,000 private individuals-taxpayers of the over 188,000 who submitted tax returns for 2016 directed 2% of the income tax indicated in the annual income statement to public or religious organizations. Contacted by IPN, Sorina Macrinici, legal adviser at the Legal Resources Center of Chisinau, said the achieved results are very good especially because it is the first year of the implementation of the percentage allotment mechanism.

Sorina Macrinici noted that the beneficiary organizations during this first year haven’t been really prepared to carry out efficient information campaigns. “We thought the number will be lower. In Hungary, where such a mechanism has been in place since 1996, about 50% of the taxpayers direct a part of the paid income tax this way. So, 10% for the first year is a very good result,” she stated.

As the regulations for implementing the 2% law were adopted by the Government late, the public associations and religious organizations could register in December only and thus only about 500 organizations managed to do this, said Sorina Macrinici.

Ilie Chirtoaca, adviser at the same Center, also said the results are good. “Our optimistic forecasts anticipated a 5% figure for the first year. From the State Tax Service’s reports, we understood that about 9,000 people went to the local tax inspectorates namely for the purpose of directing 2%, even if they didn’t form part of the category of people who are obliged to present tax returns and this is also a positive thing,” stated Ilie Chirtoaca.

According to the State Tax Service, 4.23 million lei has been transferred by the percentage allotment mechanism. The list of public or religious organizations that can benefit from 2% of the income tax was compiled and published by the Ministry of Justice. This includes over 500 public associations, organizations, foundations and private institutions.