Dozens of Romanian artists, writers and journalists have signed a letter addressed to President Traian Basescu and PM Emil Boc protesting against a recent decision to apply welfare contributions to copyright when copyright incomes are already taxed 10%.

The protest is signed, among others, by reputed Romanian artists, journalists and writers such as Mircea Cartarescu, Ana Blandiana, jazz singer Maria Raducanu.

They say in the letter that the decision to apply welfare contributions to copywright incomes is not constitutional and would force most of copyright holders to live below subsistence level.

And they warn they would use all legal means of protest nationally and internationally until a solution to the issue is found.