Savez Samostalnih Sindikata Hrvatske - Inappropriate manipulation attempt of Finance Minister Šuker

HRVATSKI

Editor
Dijana Šobota

Inappropriate manipulation attempt of Finance Minister Šuker

Zagreb, 24 July 2009 – Retired Persons` Trade Union of Croatia (SUH) sent today the following press release:

1. SUH is shocked by unacceptable and manipulative behaviour of Finance Minister Ivan Šuker who is trying to apply the so called 3 percent crisis tax for retired persons and workers to the full amount of net pension or wage. Instead of respecting to the principled agreement with trade unions and retired persons` associations, Minister Šuker shamefully gives up on the principle of social justice and is trying to deceive Croatian workers and retired persons.

2. Namely it was agreed, in full compliance with Croatian tax system and on principles of social justice, that the personal untaxable part of income would be 3,000 kuna in order to protect the most vulnerable categories of retired persons and workers. Therefore only the difference in income higher than 3,000 kuna would be taxable with the 3 percent crisis tax.

3. It is illogical and incomprehensible that the Minister is now trying to show that the taxation of the whole amount of all pensions and wages higher than 3,000 kuna was agreed. So for example the crisis tax on a pension of 3,010 kuna would amount to 90 kuna. The pension in this case after the taxation would be lower than 3,000 kuna – 2,919 kuna! Will Minister Šuker propose some other law to compensate for this illegally taken part of pensions?

4. Retired persons are the largest and the most vulnerable group in Croatia and to expect from them to shoulder the burden of overcoming the economic crisis is absurd. Retired persons are of course willing to discuss about how they can contribute to overcoming the crisis, even though they have for the last 20 years been used as social “shock-absorber” and safeguard for social peace, which reduced their pensions to 40 percent of the average net wage in Croatia, whereas the minimum European standard is 60 percent of the average wage. Minister Šuker does not act as a representative of a democratic government in a democratic state, but is in panic trying to humiliate, deceive and offend retired persons and workers and make their representatives look irresponsible and, probably, demented.

5. SUH reiterates its acceptance of further negotiations, but solely on the basis of social justice. It also demands that 3,000 kuna are determined as the untaxable part of income. Furthermore, the SUH cannot accept the proposal that pensions, according to the law, are not to be harmonized till the end of 2010. Otherwise the united retired persons and workers will have nothing left but to go to the streets and demand the change of the government.