Parents should not fear that, with the adoption of the Fiscal Strategy, there will be an increase in textbook prices, which would further burden household budgets, the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation (MPNI) told "News".
The draft fiscal strategy envisages an increase in the VAT rate from seven to 15 percent on books and press, but from the department Anđele Jakić-Stojanović they claim that this does not apply to textbooks and teaching aids.
Elementary school students receive free sets of textbooks, for which the state annually allocates around four million euros.
"The draft fiscal strategy did not foresee an increase in VAT on textbooks and teaching materials, but they will be taxed at a reduced rate of 7 percent, as in the previous period. Therefore, there will be no increase in the price of textbooks, and therefore no additional financial burden for parents on this basis", the Ministry of Education emphasizes.
They also remind that all primary school textbooks are given to students free of charge, and that the money for this purpose is provided for in the budget of the Ministry of Education.
"Aware of the importance of the printed book, especially in the context of all the challenges that society faces in the digital age, preserving the culture of reading and encouraging reading literacy will remain one of the priority activities in the work of the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation", emphasized the Ministry of Education.
According to them, the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation is rapidly working on the digitization of the education system, but remains committed to combining modern and traditional learning methods, using the benefits that both bring with them.
"And in accordance with that, we will position ourselves on this issue as well. Since it is about the Draft Fiscal Strategy and a public discussion is underway, the involvement and contribution of all actors is of inestimable importance, in order to propose adequate solutions based on arguments and facts. We are convinced that the Ministry of Finance will consider all the mentioned initiatives, take into account all the arguments and, based on that, make the best decision that is in the interest of all citizens", said the Ministry of Education.
The draft fiscal strategy is up for public debate until August 7.
Representatives of the largest publishers of books and print media, as well as associations of writers, librarians and cultural institutions, appealed to the Government in the previous days to abandon the tax increase. They say that a rate of 15 percent would mean the cessation of the work of small publishing houses, a reduction in the production of contemporary Montenegrin literature, and that the domestic print media would be brought to the brink of extinction.
The Ministry of Finance announced that the department "considers with full attention all proposals that come to the account of the Draft Fiscal Strategy from the interested public, analyzes them and looks at the possibilities, so that those that, during the public debate, prove to be justified, find themselves in the final version".
"In relation to the measure related to the introduction of two reduced VAT rates (7 and 15 percent), according to which a rate of 15 percent would be applied to books, monographic and serial publications, as well as daily and periodicals, we point out that also in in accordance with the provisions of EU Directive 2006/112. However, we note that on this basis, in the public hearing, we will consider the modalities of applying the reduced rate and propose the most optimal solution when amending the Value Added Tax Act, which are planned for the fourth quarter of the current year," the department said two days ago. News of Vuković.
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