Prime Minister Milojko Spajić said that there is a specific solution for small wineries, and that all remarks and suggestions on the Draft Fiscal Strategy in that part will be carefully analyzed in order to arrive at the best final version.
This was announced after meetings between Spajić, Minister of Finance Novica Vuković and Minister of Labour, Employment and Social Dialogue Naida Nišić with representatives of the Employers' Union and the Chamber of Commerce on the draft Fiscal Strategy for the period 2024-2027.
According to the press release, the businessmen called for additional consideration of the excise tax proposal on still wines, bearing in mind the implications of this measure for that branch of production.
"The draft Fiscal Strategy is a roadmap for the first serious economic reform which, along with fiscal stability, puts the position of employees and the interests of the economy in the foreground, and all constructive proposals and suggestions will be carefully considered when defining the final version of the document", it was assessed after a new round of talks between Government and businessmen, said the Spajić cabinet.
At the meeting, at the extended Board of Directors of the Union of Employers, which was attended by over 80 representatives of numerous companies, it was emphasized that the new Fiscal Strategy was necessary and that it would be an additional impulse to attract new investors.
"Since 2021, we have not had a Fiscal Strategy and we have not had predictability, reliability, as a state we have not been a good enough partner to the economy. In the economy, things are decided in the medium and long term, that is why the Fiscal Strategy is an extremely important document. "Investors want to know what will happen in the country in the next three years, and in this way we give them a basic scenario for that period," said Spajić.
As they said, the contribution to the improvement of the document was made by the members of the Union of Employers, who, based on their decades of experience, had a number of initiatives to improve the economic environment and remove business barriers.
"As a businessman, who has been running a private company for 32 years, I can state that this is the first serious economic reform that prioritizes the position of employees, the interests of businessmen and respects social dialogue in the adoption of legal solutions, while not being guided by current interests and election promises , already bearing in mind the developmental effects that this reform will bring in the coming period", pointed out Slobodan Mikavica, president of the UPCG.
Special attention was paid to the announced introduction of the average VAT rate and how it will affect the business of hotels and the hospitality sector in general.
"A serious analysis was done to ensure that this rate does not damage the competitiveness of the tourism industry. I want to point out that the total tax burden, which the employer pays to the state through taxes and various duties, remains lower compared to the countries of the region", explained the head of the Cabinet of the Prime Minister Branko Krvavac.
At the meeting in the Chamber of Commerce, which was also attended by about 80 businessmen, President Nina Drakić said that it is very important that the dialogue between businessmen and the Government takes place whenever it is necessary.
As she announced, businessmen submitted comments that point to several issues that they believe can affect the business environment and operations.
Drakić said that, generally speaking, the creation of policies in the direction of a lower burden of labor costs is affirmative, and that the right measure should be considered when it comes to increasing the minimum wage.
Minister of Finance Novica Vuković pointed out that the discussions with businessmen were very constructive and that a number of good proposals were received.
"That is the essence of the public debate, which lasts until August 7, and what we can already confirm is that some of the suggestions will be accepted. We listen to the messages, analyze the remarks and want to come up with optimal solutions in the document that we have been waiting for years," said Vuković.
At the meetings with businessmen, the importance of stronger control in order to reduce the gray economy and unfair competition was pointed out, because, as it was assessed, this will have a positive effect on state revenues, but also stimulate businessmen, who have tax discipline, to invest and hire more. .
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