Albanian and international private businesses grouped around
Konfindustria, demands from the new government not to change the taxation
system in the country.
General Administrator of Konfindustria, Gjergj Buxhuku says
that current flat tax of 10% is a good one and is the same with the taxes of
several other countries of the Balkan region.
“Progressive increase of the taxes projected by the
government of the new government (photo) for large companies would decrease the
interest of foreign business and also domestic businesses to invest in Albania,
because competitive countries in the region such as Serbia, FYR Macedonia,
Bulgaria, etc, apply a 10% flat tax or lowerâ€, says Mr. Buxhuku.
According to Konfindustria, at a time when the Albanian
economy has felt the consequences of the global crisis, there will be a
constant need to attract foreign investments, therefore encouraging taxation
policies are important.
“Konfindustria advises the new government to apply a high
tax than 10% for commercial operators that work in privileged conditions with
state licenses, which secure them markets of monopolies or oligopolies, and as
such, they make higher earnings than the average on a national level. In all
cases of free and competitive markets, the application of progressive tax would
have consequences in the long term development of the countryâ€, said Buxhuku.
Konfindustria is also against the application of progressive
tax on the system of wages in Albania: “There must be caution for the policy
announced by the new government, about the application of a higher progressive
tax than 10% on personal incomes of Albanian citizens. Care should be shown in
order not to create the necessary conditions to facilitate tax evasion and to
damage the middle class in Albaniaâ€.
On the other hand, Konfindustria supports the projected
reduction by up to two times to the tax on small businesses, by advising to use
as a referral basis the one that exists today, 10%.
Speaking about the plans of the government of Edi Rama for
the next 4 years, Mr. Buxhuku says: “In principle, we support the objectives of
the economic program of the new government voted on June 23, 2013â€.
Meanwhile, the business sector wants to know the ways, means
and the time when these objectives will be met.
These things need to be explained as soon as possible, fully
and in a professional way by the representatives of the new government