Anti-fraud inspectors within Romania’s tax authority ANAF raided 25 pubs in Bucharest’s Old Town on Saturday night (December 7), closing seven and applying total fines of some EUR 70,000 for tax evasion.

Some 100 inspectors from the National Agency for Fiscal Administration (ANAF) took part in the operation, according to the Romanian Ministry of Finance, quoted by local news agency Mediafax.

An additional EUR 2,900 and some RON 29,700 were also confiscated during verifications. The authorities did not release the names of the pubs which were closed down.

By law however, pub owners can appeal the decision and can keep their premises open until a court order is issued. Alternatively, they can also run the same kind of activity in the same location via another firm they own and based on a new lease for the location.

Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com