Petrov: proposed changes will give the tax administration dictatorial powers

The new package of tax law amendments, which the Croatian Parliament discussed on Wednesday, brings additional tax breaks as well as administrative relief for entrepreneurs, which was supported by both the ruling and opposition MPs. However, changes to legislation regarding the authority of the Tax Administration was a sticking point for the opposition.

In parliament on Wednesday, there was universal support for government's plan to reduce the administrative and financial burden on businesses. However, plans to give the Tax Administration excessive powers in the collection of taxes was met with strong resistance from the opposition. MOST MP Božo Petrov: "Without a court order, the tax authority has the right to access any computer it wants, and take all the data they want. That is not surveillance. That is a dictatorship."

Responding to his comments, the State Secretary at the Finance Ministry, Tereza Rogić Lugarić, denied that the tax authority’s powers were being expanded: "The Tax Administration's authorities are not being expanded here, all we are specifying here is access to codes and passwords for program solutions that deal with fiscalization."

However, this did not put to rest Petrov’s concerns: "If that's the case, then why are you refusing to adopt the simplest and most democratic mechanism of a court order? If you reject this mechanism then that means that you want a country in which you can do what you please."

Source: HRT