Focus: Taxes and excise duties on fuel should be abolished or reduced

The Fokus party reported on Thursday that they support Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic’s proposal to abolish the measures by which the Government sets fuel prices every 14 days, but at the same time they will demand “abolition or a significant reduction” of taxes and excise duties on fuel. Fokus believes that prices should not depend on the Government’s political decisions, telephone sessions and temporary regulations, and that instead of administrative management, it is necessary to ensure an open market, real competition and clear rules for everyone.

However, if the Government really wants to test how much it can help citizens and the economy, then it must not stop at just abolishing the measures. Taxes and excise duties on fuel should be abolished or significantly reduced, they stressed.

“If the Prime Minister is serious about lifting the measures, we accept that proposal. But then we go all the way – let’s abolish administrative price setting, and let the state waive part of the taxes and excise duties it currently collects on every liter of fuel,” said Fokus president Gabrijel Deak.

As he added, citizens and entrepreneurs today pay not only the price of oil and the retailer’s margin, but also high excise duties and VAT. “The state takes a large part of the final price that we all pay at the gas station. That’s why our proposal is simple – let’s abolish the government’s price setting, but at the same time abolish excise duties and taxes on fuel while these high energy prices persist,” he suggested.

“The government cannot on the one hand talk about protecting citizens, and on the other hand take tens of cents from every liter of fuel through taxes and excise duties. If it’s time for a test, then let’s test how much cheaper fuel would be if the state gave up part of its income,” concluded Deak.