Fierce debate in the Parliament: The government and DPS accused each other and measured whose rule caused greater damage to the state

The Parliament of Montenegro held a lively debate on amendments to the Law on Excise Duties, which propose the abolition of fuel excise duty refunds for contractors on the Bar - Boljare highway.

While the government says that this introduces equal tax treatment and increases budget revenues, the opposition is criticizing and accusing each other about fiscal policies and spending of state money.

Amendments to the Excise Law proposed by Europe Now Movement (PES) MP Tonći Janović were widely discussed in parliament, as MPs from the ruling majority, mainly the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS), accused each other and measured whose rule caused greater damage to the state.

Janović explained that he is proposing the abolition of the excise tax refund, which was granted to the contractor on fuel in the first phase of the construction of the Bar - Boljare highway.

"The state cannot permanently have special tax rules for one project, one contract or one group of companies, if the reason for which these privileges were introduced has ceased to exist. These reliefs were introduced as a temporary measure," said Janović.

He explained that the European Union (EU) directives on excise duties clearly stipulate that projects such as highways are not intended as an exception, and that deleting these provisions ensures equal treatment of all taxpayers, and removing the reduced excise duty will increase budget revenues.

The Bosniak Party (BS) expressed its support for the proposal, while independent MP Nikola Janović said that the government, not the party, should have proposed the law, and pointed out the need to increase excise taxes on tobacco and tobacco products. The DPS reacted harshly.

"Citizens, in order to replace the salaries of 70 thousand employees, 56 thousand in state-owned enterprises and 16 and a half thousand in local enterprises, this Government must make decisions like the one today to increase taxes, excise duties, and start borrowing," said DPS MP Nikola Milović.

"I can understand anyone when they criticize, but I cannot understand DPS when it talks about party employment, which has a doctorate in party employment," said Janović.

"In five years, you have generated 2,3 billion in taxes, or excise taxes, and you are not able to exempt citizens from part of the excise tax on fuel, which amounted to eight million euros per month," said Milović.

The European Union pointed out that a separate contract was signed for the second section of the highway, and that its terms must not be changed to the detriment of the investor, otherwise he can sue the state and seek compensation.

"You based the whole story here and criticized the drastic tax exemptions in the first phase. And then Milojko Spajić and his government say that it is justified. So what is the problem now? Are you working against the government's opinion?" said Boris Mugoša, a member of the European Parliament.

Previously, Deputy Prime Minister Momo Koprivica, responding to a question about what the Government had done to protect young people from gambling, said that a greater degree of order and control of revenues had been introduced. He stated that state revenues had increased on that basis and that in the first five months of this year they amounted to 32 million, which is an increase of 32 percent compared to the comparable period last year. He asked where tens of millions of euros had ended up over the years.