Damir Vanđelić (Republic): If you are buying an apartment or investing in property, it should be taxed

Damir Vanđelić has been an active participant in the Croatian political scene for years, although he officially entered politics only at the end of last year when the Republic party, of which he is the founder, was established. He has a range of business functions behind him: he worked at Pliva, Interbrew, Adris, and Ina, and is best known as the sole employee of the Fund for Earthquake Reconstruction for a long time. At that time, it was also mentioned that he would be the HDZ candidate for the mayor of Zagreb, but that did not materialize. He now says he is entering politics because ‘he can no longer bear to see Croatia as a society of devastated values and indifference’ and believes he has the strength to change that. The Republic, as Vanđelić announces, is preparing its list for all elections, both for the European and parliamentary elections, even presidential ones. He will be the main bearer of all lists, only it is not known who will be the Republic’s candidate for president.

Who are the natural coalition partners for the Republic?

– Everyone who accepts the key elements of our program and values such as inclusive patriotism, honest work, and respect for others. In general, these are primarily younger parties. The blue and red parties have had enough time to distance Croatia from Poland, the Czech Republic, and Hungary, and we have lost pace with those countries as well. They have done a poor job and need to take a break from power.

So you see yourself in a coalition with Most?

– They are honest guys who are trying hard, and I see no reason why we shouldn’t talk to them because there is too little dialogue in politics anyway. But the question is whether they want to participate in power or remain in opposition.

Can we?

– They first have to show that they can.

Who has shown themselves?

– It is no secret that we are talking to the county mayor Marko Jelić from Knin, who seems to be our natural partner, but we are also talking to the Social Democrats, HSS, and others. Before the elections, we will cooperate with a number of independent leaders. But allow me not to reveal all my cards right at the beginning…

You will cooperate with the Voice of Entrepreneurs, and a larger number of entrepreneurs have joined you. You even emphasize this intentionally.

– They are not just entrepreneurs; many educated people from the public sector are joining us. There have been challenges here too. Some people from the public sector are literally afraid of the consequences of joining the Republic. We are already active in seven counties, and I am very pleased that we are growing in Zagreb and in Istria and Slavonia, where we have already opened county organizations.

What motivated you the most from your entrepreneurial career to turn to politics?

– Entrepreneurial problems were not the main generator of my political engagement because most people in this country are not in private business. The Republic represents policies that concern a much broader circle of people.

So, is entrepreneurship in Croatia going smoothly?

– No, of course not. You are right; entrepreneurship has problems that are solvable, and we have excellent proposals from our people who have proven themselves more than once in business, such as Gordana Deranja or Dario Marenić. Entrepreneurs are troubled by senseless overregulation, slow administration, unfair public tenders, and generally an unentrepreneurial climate in the country, although it is clear to everyone that only strong development of small and medium-sized enterprises can turn us into a successful and wealthy state. We will work unwaveringly on that.

Who would be the stronger player in your government: the Minister of Finance or the Minister of Economy?

– The Minister of Finance is the person who safeguards public funds, plans them, records them, and monitors the fulfillment of the plan. We have adopted the euro; the authority over our monetary policy is in the hands of the ECB – therefore, the Minister of Finance is a meticulous administrator. The Minister of Economy should be a bigger star; he needs to be creative and innovative and propose measures.

What creative measures would your Minister of Economy propose?

– The first measure would be to increase net salaries by fifty percent over four years. We know how and we have dealt with this enough.

Besides coming up with creative measures, what else would the Minister of Economy do? How would he encourage, for example, exports?

– The economy needs to be in constant contact with production and industrial activities; that is my opinion. I also mean tourism as an industry, agriculture, and startups. The Ministry of Economy should be a center for innovative management of human capital.

Are you in favor of introducing property taxes?

– It depends on the person. If by purchasing property you are solving a housing issue, then no. If it were up to us in the Republic, you shouldn’t even have to pay VAT of 25 percent for that. If you are buying an apartment or investing in property, it should definitely be taxed. Especially, owners of properties that are not in use should be taxed, even if it concerns tourist companies that have not completed a hotel or a construction company whose construction site has not been finished for years. However, for such a solution, we need a property register. It is supposedly being worked on, but this government has not been able to finish it for eight years. And until the register is completed, such a solution cannot be applied.

What measures does the Republic propose, what kind of economy will it advocate for, and how do they plan to increase salaries, read in the printed or digital edition of the weekly Lider.