The most anticipated document in the country is the new Government package of measures to mitigate the impact of rising energy prices, and in addition to assistance for citizens and public institutions, the introduction of subsidized electricity prices for craftsmen and small entrepreneurs is being considered, writes Jutarnji list on Monday.
According to unofficial information obtained by the newspaper, this could apply to those with consumption of up to 100,000 kWh annually, while large companies are not currently included.
Additionally, there is a proposal for new support measures for job preservation through the Croatian Employment Service, modeled after those introduced due to the economic consequences of the corona pandemic, with the support amounting to 4,000 kuna per worker.
The meeting of ministers from the Croatian Employers’ Association, whose leadership was at a meeting with the Minister of Finance, is not commenting on the details of the new package for now as they are waiting for it to be presented in full. Unofficially, they say that due to the price surge, assistance is needed for all entrepreneurs, and last summer, this association proposed that the price of electricity for the economy be limited until the end of 2023 to an amount of up to 150 euros/MWh, which they emphasized is still significantly above what households pay.
The spring Government package did not cover all entrepreneurs. The support introduced for gas bills applies to micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises with an average annual consumption of up to 10 GWh, and the support amount is 15 lipa per kWh, which is realized through vouchers.
As Jutarnji list learns from a source close to the Ministry of Economy, large entrepreneurs could be included in certain measures only in some next step, that is, after EU leaders agree on a common approach regarding possible price limits for energy.
Namely, this week, EU energy ministers are meeting urgently, and on September 14, it has been announced that the proposals of the European Commission will be presented by President Ursula von der Leyen. As Jutarnji list reported last week, the new Government aid package could reach up to six billion kuna, with the part related to small entrepreneurs being the most generous.
Among other things, this package also brings significant relief for electricity bills for institutions from the public and non-profit sectors, such as schools, kindergartens, hospitals, museums, and others, as a new calculation method is anticipated, based on a lower, subsidized tariff. Of course, new measures for households, socially vulnerable groups, as well as for pensioners, farmers, and fishermen are also on the table, writes Jutarnji list journalist Gordana Grgas.
