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Taxation
Slovenia: First Budget Surplus in 2013
For the first time this year, Slovenia shows a budget surplus of € 15m. However, the deficit of the first eight months is as high as € 1.3bn, according to data by the Finance Ministry.
September 20, 2013
Bank Austria to Close Subsidiaries in Hungary
Because of higher costs caused by a tax on financial transaction, which was introduced during the current year, the affiliate of Italian UniCredit intends to downsize operations in Hungary.
September 19, 2013
Austria: ÖVP Rejects Tax Reforms by Social Democrats
Chancellor and Leader of the Social Democrats Werner Faymann is in favor of lower taxes on wages. His model includes reliefs of up to € 1,011 annually. However, coalition partner, the Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP) rejects the plans.
September 18, 2013
Leitl Recommends Parties Not to Raise Hopes
President of the Austrian Chamber of Commerce, Christoph Leitl considers the demand of the Social Democrats and Chancellor Werner Faymann for a tax relief as soon as 2015 utopian.
September 17, 2013
Austria: IMF Pushes for Tax Reform
The International Monetary Fund recommends re-considering the tax system. The Austrian wage taxes are too high, IMF criticizes.
September 13, 2013
Schieder: IMF Confirms SPÖ-Claims
State Secretary for Finances, Andreas Schieder regards the demands by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as a confirmation of those by the Social Democrats (SPÖ).
September 11, 2013
Faymann Underlines Necessity of Property Taxes
Austrian Chancellor Werner Faymann (SPÖ) calls for new taxes. In total, property taxes should bring tax revenues of more than € 2.0bn.
September 9, 2013
Poland: Government Gives Green Light to Budget Draft
The Polish Government has approved the budget plan for 2014 with the deficit gap closing further after a refurbishment of the private pension system.
September 9, 2013
Serbia: Plans to Reform Pension System
Serbia plans reform of pension system by year end.
September 9, 2013
Faymann: “Banks Should Pay for Hypo”
Austrian Chancellor Werner Faymann does not consider a new austerity package necessary despite of the threatening billions of Euros for the selling and winding-up of the ailing bank.
September 5, 2013
Lopatka Demands Reform for Austrian Railways
State Secretary Lopatka demands Minister of Infrastructure Bures to tackle the expensive pension system at the Austrian Railways by doing away with privliges for emplyoees in order to unburden tax payers.
September 4, 2013
Slovenian Finance Minister: “Enough Tax Burdens“
On Tuesday, the Slovenian Finance Minister Uros Cufer announced that enough additional tax burdens have been introduced.
September 4, 2013
Poland: Tusk Demonstrates Optimism
This year, Poland´s economic growth begins to accelerate. According to Prime Minister Donald Tusk, the growth rate will be higher than 1.5%.
September 4, 2013
Keuschnigg: “We Already Have The Flat Tax in Austria”
The head of IHS demands tax relief instead of further tax burdens and the adjustment to the inflation rate.
September 3, 2013
Cyprus: Waiting for the Next Bailout Tranche
Crisis-struck member of the Eurozone Cyprus will have to wait for the next payment out of the bailout-package. Before the next tranche will be transferred the small country has to implement key measures.
September 2, 2013
Austrian Economy Minister: “No Time for Idle Complacency”
Austrian Minister of Economics and former general secretary of the Austrian Chamber of Commerce (WKO), Reinhold Mitterlehner avoids any dispute with Christoph Leitl, President of WKO but signals a different opinion.
August 27, 2013
Austria: First Chancellor’s Duel
Chancellor Werner Faymann (SPÖ) and Deputy Chancellor Michael Spindelegger (ÖVP) had their first official chancellor’s duel on TV on Monday. However, people waiting for a major dispute had been disppointed.
August 27, 2013
Austria: Fekter Does Not Publish Controversial Industrial Location Study
According to a recent study on the quality of Austria´s industrial location, the number of leaving multinational companies is growing.
August 25, 2013
Leitl: “Austria Screwed Up”
If the US, as the perpetrator of the financial and economic crisis, shows two percent in economic growth, while Austria only 0.2 percent, then this was a “disgrace”, Leitl announced during the economic forum in Alpbach.
August 21, 2013
Austria: Kranebitter to Leave Hypo Group
After three and a half years, Gottwald Kranebitter steps back as CEO of nationalized Hypo Alpe Adria. Tax payers are left with a burden running in the billions in the years to come.
August 19, 2013
Czech Republic: New Elections Expected At the End of October
Prime Minister Petr Necas’ resignation leads to new elections soon. The Social Democrats, who want to introduce the Euro, are potential winners.
August 16, 2013
Austria: Spindelegger Wants Reform Government
The next government has to be a “reform government”, according to Austrian Vice Chancellor Michael Spindelegger, since the one in office now has only shown little reform zeal.
August 9, 2013
Austria: Banks Indignant At Chancellor Faymann
Chancellor Werner Faymann has started the election campaign with an attack against the banks. However, CEO of Bank Austria Willibald Cernko points out that the banking industry secures 70,000 jobs in Austria.
August 9, 2013
Poland: VAT Receipts Increased 10 Percent
Value added tax (VAT) receipts increase 10 percent year on year.
August 8, 2013
RBI Considers Withdrawing from Hungary
The Austrian banking group Raiffeisen Bank International wants to focus on other markets. Hungary and Slovenia are shrinking markets, CEO Karl Sevelda says.
August 6, 2013
Bad Bank for Hypo Group?
According to market rumors, Austria´s government wants domestic banks to participate in a bad bank for the nationalized Hypo Group. Finance Minister Maria Fekter denies such reports.
August 5, 2013
Austria: Property Distribution Highly Unequal
About 10% of Austria´s population owns 70% of the nation´s wealth. The governing social democrats reaffirm that Austria needs property taxes.
August 5, 2013
Romania Initiates Structural Reforms
In order to receive a precautionary loan from the IMF, Romania´s government will implement a series of reform steps. Above all, Romania starts privatizations again. Romania´s economic outlook continues to brighten.
August 3, 2013
Romania’s Economic Recovery Expected to Strengthen.
Staff teams from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the European Commission (EC), and the World Bank visited Bucharest Romania during July 17–31.
August 1, 2013
Romania: Drop of VAT on Bread and Baked Goods
Around 70 percent of Romanian bread and baked goods are sold on the black market. A drop in VAT is supposed to change that.
July 31, 2013
Eurozone: Household Real Income Increased 0.5 percent
Household saving rate up to 13.1% in the euro area and to 11.0% in the EU27 Household real income per capita increased by 0.5% in the euro area
July 31, 2013
Fekter: Debt reduction and tax reform are our absolute priorities
"We are on the right track"
July 25, 2013
Austria: First Tax Tranche from Switzerland Transferred
The first tranche of the tax agreement between Austria and Switzerland in the amount of € 416.7m was transferred. Fekter considers it “a great success for Austria and the taxpayers”.
July 25, 2013
Bulgarian Protests As Sign of New Understanding of Values
The great wave of protests in Bulgaria continues to sweep the country. Experts regard the demonstrations as a sign of a new understanding of values.
July 25, 2013
Bulgaria: Protests About to Escalate
Heavy clashes between protestors and policemen in Bulgaria´s capital Sofia are endangering the political stability.
July 24, 2013
Orban: Not Joining Eurozone in the Next Ten Years
Hungary´s Prime Minister thinks that his country should not become a member of the euro area in the medium term.
July 23, 2013
Austria Suffers from Company Exodus
Due to the relocation of businesses, the Austrian state has lost tax intake of € 1.3bn since 2008. The Austrian group taxation model must not be abolished experts of the Austrian Ministry of Finance say.
July 22, 2013
Federation of Austrian Industry Defends Group Taxation
The Federation of Austrian Industry (IV) argues that the Austrian business location would be endangered without the group taxation.
July 20, 2013
NBP Wants Government to Adapt Budget
After the Polish government has announced to postpone its austerity plans, the National Bank of Poland calls the government to submit an updated fiscal outlook.
July 19, 2013
Austrian Audit Court Criticizes Group Taxation
The costs of the Austrian group taxation model total about € 450m, the Audit Court said in a current report.
July 19, 2013
Polish Government to Leave Austerity Path
In order to boost Poland´s economic growth, the government wants to ease the fiscal discipline.
July 17, 2013
Fekter: Horror Figures with Hypo’s Restructuring Plan.
The restructuring plan for Hypo Alpe Adria involves several scenarios, which Finance Minister Fekter does not want to mention. The “horror figures” tax payers are burded with are set up “in an apocalyptical way”, according to her.
July 15, 2013
Austria: Rumors about Fekter Resigning as Finance Minister after Elections
Will Fekter become President of the National Council after the elections? In government circles speculations are circling about Finance Minister Fekter quitting her post as after the national elections in September.
July 10, 2013
Spindelegger: Fitness Program for Austria
Austrian economy supposed to be boosted by reforms of “Unternehmen Österreich 2025, and a rejection of new taxes.
July 10, 2013
Slovenia’s Banking Sector Threatened by Delay of Bad Bank-Transfers
After the EU Commission denied approval for the first transfers of bad loans to the bank asset management by June 28, the reorganization of the banking system in Slovenia has been postponed.
July 9, 2013
Orban Accuses European Union of “Soviet-style Methods”
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban criticized the “troops of bureaucrats" who were unable to solve the economic crisis in Europe and who were now trying to denounce Hungary, which was on the road to recovery again.
July 5, 2013
CESEE: GDP Growth in 2013 Weakest Since 2009
CESEE financial markets influenced by global liquidity debate.
July 4, 2013
Slovenia: Trying to Make a Difference
The crisis measures approved by Brussels are partially starting to make an impact. Since July 1, the higher tax rate of 22 percent is binding. However, the country does much more than just raise taxes.
July 3, 2013
Orban Attacks European Parliament
Prime Minister Orban claims that members of the EP would apply double standards on Hungary.
July 2, 2013
Hypo Group: CEO Kranebitter Steps Back
Kranebitter announced to stay until the half-year accounts are published. On Monday it became known that the ailing bank will in all likelihood require more state aid than planned.
July 2, 2013