The Romanian government increased local taxes because it needs money for Ukraine, according to a false narrative also promoted by actress Manuela Hărăbor, who does not seem to tell the difference between the local budget and the state budget.
NEWS: Manuela Hărăbor conveys a harsh message to Ilie Bolojan after learning about the 2026 tax. The actress has to pay 3700 lei to the state in taxes for her apartment, a plot of land and her car. What is outrageous is that the disability allowance Manuela Hărăbor’s son receives amounts to merely 728 lei.
“3706 lei in total payment for taxes in 2026!!!
*(3.152 lei for a 110 sqm apartment, *
*424 lei for a plot of land, *
130 lei for the car)
compared to 728 lei in disability allowance.
Mr. Bolojan, you committed to paying Ukraine another 50 million Euro. Sadly, I tell you not to count on our contribution, mine and my son Andrei's, an adult with severe disability, whose right to tax exemption according to law 448 you have STOLEN.
A few days ago, when I didn't know the exact figures, I told you that I would pay you on the last day before the deadline.
You know what? I changed my mind. Adding to the total amount of 3700 will be another 220 lei in penalties and you will see the money on the last working day of the year.
Until then, collect away, from your fans and supporters", the actress wrote on Facebook.
NARRATIVE: Romanians pay higher local taxes and fees, and Ilie Bolojan’s Cabinet will use that money to provide financial assistance to Ukraine.
PURPOSE: To weaken support for Ukraine.
Fact: “Winter doesn’t wait for summer!”. Authorities can’t use money raised from local taxes to provide financial aid to Ukraine
WHY THE NARRATIVE IS FALSE: First of all, the taxes on real estate, vehicles and land mentioned in the quoted article are local taxes, which are directed to the local budgets of the town halls which spend them according to their own planning.
In other words, the money collected from those taxes does not reach the Government Bolojan's treasury, but that of the town halls of the localities where the vehicles, real estate properties and lands owned by the taxpayers in question are registered. Therefore, the money collected from local taxes and fees, even if increased, cannot reach Ukraine and cannot be allocated to help this country, for the mere reason because they represent a budget separate from the one from which such funds are allocated.
Secondly, those taxes were increased by local administrations to boost revenues to the local budgets, and the money thus collected is directed towards solving the problems of those respective communities: infrastructure (streets, sewers, water network connections, etc.), education (renovation or construction of schools, kindergartens, etc.), health (dispensaries, local public health programs, etc.), religion and culture (local holidays, church renovations, cemetery rehabilitations, etc.) and other local issues.
Local administrations have two major sources of revenue: taxes and fees collected at local level, the ones that were increased starting January 1, and Romania's state budget, which is managed by the Government. The decision to increase taxes was taken after the Bolojan Government told city halls that local administrations can no longer be supported with money from the state budget and must manage their budgets so as not to depend on the Cabinet’s funding anymore, but eventually manage to self-govern. The measure was decided against the backdrop of efforts to curb the budget deficit, which involves, among other things, reducing expenditure from the state budget and boosting revenues.
It's worth noting that the extremist party AUR is the one that announced its plans to challenge in court the local decisions to increase taxes on cars and housing.
BACKGROUND: The fake news fits into a long series of narratives, some debunked in recent years by Veridica, which are designed to promote the idea that money that could be used for Romanians, especially in a context of economic hardship, eventually ends up in Ukraine and with Ukrainians. Media campaigns promoting this thesis have targeted in the first years the refugees (who allegedly receive much greater benefits than Romanians), the agricultural sector, etc. Last year alone, among the false narratives debunked by Veridica are those that claim that Romania “pays for gas deliveries”, Romania is “forced to deploy troops” in the war triggered by Russia, or that Bucharest "does not receive any compensation” for the aid provided to Kyiv.
Such narratives are not specific to Romania alone – they are disseminated in numerous other European countries, which suggests a concerted effort from Russia, whose objective is to weaken Western support for Ukraine.
Let us further note that actress Manuela Hărăbor has been fostering anti-Ukraine and anti-EU narratives for some time, employing a discourse echoes sovereignist/conspiratorial rhetoric.
GRAIN OF TRUTH: Local taxes have gone up starting January 1, 2026, and the Bolojan Cabinet issued a decision in this regard and warned the city halls that they must ensure a larger part of the budget from their own sources (i.e., local taxes) because they will receive less money from the state budget.
Romania has pledged to provide 50 million Euro in aid to Ukraine as part of the PURL mechanism, i.e., the list of priority purchases necessary for the defense of Ukraine. At the end of last year, the Bolojan Cabinet adopted a decision by means of which it committed to join the countries that, at the proposal of the USA, will support Kyiv based on this security and foreign policy mechanism. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated, however, that this type of assistance will be released only with the observance of the budget ceiling for 2025.
The contribution of European states to PURL does not represent “civil” aid for Ukraine but, in fact, represents military support for Kyiv's capacities to fight off the Russian invaders. The program allows joint allocations through the NATO budget and represents a carry-over of Allied initiatives adopted on the sidelines of the Helsinki Summit.
