The Minister of Economic Development, Arben Ahmetaj, declared that the
government has no obligation from the agreement with the International
Monetary Fund to raise taxes on business and on citizens.
“There is no obligatory agreement with the government to raise taxes. Our
obligation is to create premises for a healthy economic growth. There
are no obligations for raising taxes or for stopping raising salaries
and pensions. Salaries and pensions were raised through the progressive
tax. Isn’t that a raise?”, Ahmetaj declared.
Through this
agreement, the government is committed to reduce the public debt at 65%
within 2016, and according to the International Monetary Fund
recommendations, it should be mainly realized by raising the income.
“Income
will not necessarily raise through taxes, but through economy. The
focus is not on taxes, but on the economic growth and administration
reforms”, Ahmetaj declared.
Besides higher revenues, lowering the
debt will also require interventions in spending, more specifically
with the pension scheme, where the International Monetary Fund
recommends increasing the retirement age at 65 for women and 67 for men.
“The
retirement system of every reform is gradual, with 15-20-25 years. Even
if there will be an increase, it will be when you and I will be ready
to retire, not our parents who are a few years from retirement”, Ahmetaj
explained.
The government considers the agreement with the
International Monetary Fund as good news for the economy and citizens.
According to the Minister of Economy, it stops the ruining of economy
and returns growth.
“This is a development agreement which allows
the government to keep investing in economy, to have serious decisions
for lowering taxes on middle and low classes”, Ahmetaj declared.
The
International Monetary Fund granted more than 300 million EUR of loans
for the government, money that will be used for paying old debts with
businesses.
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