The Focus Party is against any increase or introduction of new taxes at a time when a number of Croatia’s largest foreign trade partners are entering a recession and inflation is accelerating, stated the party’s members of parliament and its president Davor Nađi on Friday.
Raising taxes and putting pressure on the economy at that moment is extremely harmful. The introduction of new taxes will further raise prices and increase inflation, which most affects the most vulnerable groups, those with the lowest income, said Nađi at a press conference of the Focus Club and Reformists in the Parliament.
Focus is strongly against new taxes or increases in existing ones that harm citizens and entrepreneurs, Nađi added, referring to media announcements about increasing taxes on capital and property, income tax, as well as the re-collection of taxes on excess profit.
– When you reach into the pockets of Croatian citizens, you automatically drive them out of the country – said representative Dario Zurovec, the mayor of Sveta Nedelja.
He emphasized that cities where Focus is in power will ensure that citizens are tax-relieved, reduce income tax, and improve the business climate.
– Lower taxes automatically mean an expansion of the tax base; it is better to get one euro from 50 people than 50 euros from one person, practically skinning him – asserted Zurovec, adding that attention should also be paid to the expenditure side of the city budgets, i.e., spending rationally.
Focus also questions whether the Government is more inclined to accept the tax change proposals from the Možemo party or the mayor of Zagreb Tomislav Tomašević, rather than those from the Association of Cities and Municipalities, where most mayors are from the HDZ ranks.
