Seeder: Tax package in current form won't receive IRL's support
The tax package in its current form will not receive the support of the Pro Patria and Res Publica Union (IRL) as it is harmful to the Estonian economy, said IRL chairman Helir-Valdor Seeder on Thursday evening following talks with the chairmen of the three coalition parties.
"It is clear that we can't actually go forward with such a tax package as presented," Seeder told ETV news broadcast "Aktuaalne kaamera." "We certainly cannot allow such a signal to Estonia's business environment right now."
According to the recently-elected party chairman, different solutions must be found and IRL's coalition partners — the Center Party and the Social Democratic Party (SDE) — are perfectly ready to contribute and openly discuss what these alternative opportunities could be. These solutions have not yet been found, however.
"The [Riigikogu's] night session was yesterday as well and these same tax bills were being discussed in the Session Hall of the Riigikogu," Seeder said. "And we said that we are constructive. The first reading is concluded, but after that we can't move forward with the second reading before we have agreements and solutions on how we will move forward."
He added that it was not simply a matter of tax percentages and their reduction or increase.
"As a whole this package is harmful to the Estonian economy," he claimed. "As a whole this impedes on the development of the free economy and we must certainly find some kind of alternative solutions."
Asked what IRL wuld propose, Seeder responded that finding the resources is complicated, as replacing one tax with another is certainly not a solution. He found that other opportunities for tax collection and cost savings should be considered.
"But currently, yes, there is no final package on our table," Seeder said, confirming once more that IRL did not believe that the tax package in its current form would pass through the Riigikogu.
Editor: Aili Vahtla