Bro, guess what! I stumbled upon some news that made me want to punch myself in the head. Today, a Euronews Business study - for real, with OECD and PwC data - shows that Bulgaria is Europe's champion of low taxes. Meaning, an employee earning 100,000 euros gross per year keeps 86,930 euros net. I look at my 2008 BMW and think: if I were Bulgarian, maybe I'd have a brand new 5 Series, not an E90 with a sport exhaust that sounds like it's moving but actually burns oil.

Now, wait till you see where we stand. Romania, bro, barely gets 58,500 euros net from the same gross salary. Almost 30,000 euros difference! With that money, you could buy an apartment in Berceni in the countryside, not in a block. And so, we work, they enjoy. Seriously, it's like some local barons are stealing our money cold-bloodedly.

The ranking is made up of Eastern countries that got it: low tax rates, capped social contributions. After Bulgaria, it's Estonia with 74,400 euros net, Czechia with 72,800, Malta, Switzerland, Cyprus - all above 70,000. At the bottom, Belgium with only 50,750 euros net, and Denmark and Sweden are close to falling. That's how it's done, folks! We in Romania have taxes like Belgium but salaries like Bulgaria. That's the country, bro: crooked and snooty.

Among the big economies, the UK offers 69,900 euros net. Germany - 57,900, Italy - 56,700. We're in the pack with Poland (58,700) and Hungary (58,200). I look at the neighbor from apartment 4, Uncle Gheorghe, who's always drilling into the wall and says "things are better with the Hungarians." Maybe he's right, but he doesn't know the difference is 300 euros a year. That's all, bro, not enough to fatten the pig before Christmas.

This analysis is for a single person, no kids, no deductions. The authors say it's indicative because tax systems are complicated. But I say it's clear as day: while Bulgarians take all-inclusive vacations in Antalya with the money saved, we watch Mioara count the Lidl receipts and wonder if we should buy another loaf of bread. Come on, I'm going to explain to Mioara why we can't even afford gas anymore - she keeps saying I spent it on betting, not on the news feed.