Fuel tax supported by Estonia Green Party

2009-06-03
TBT Staff

TALLINN-Marek Strandberg,the head of the Estonian Greens party, announced that the parting is not readyto support an increase in VAT (value added tax) or a rise in income tax, butwould instead support an increase in fuel excise taxes.

Of the meeting with Prime Minister Andrus Ansip, Strandberg in their discussionssaid that supporting enterprises as well as the taxation policy was a viableplan, according to LETA.

"At the moment, we are not prepared to support an increase in the valueadded tax or in the income tax, as a surge in the value added tax wouldinevitably paralyse the welfare of low-income households," said Strandberg.

Strandberg said that the Greens party explained to the Prime Minister their stanceon the increase of fuels taxes.

"Be those either mining fees on oil shale or mining fees of mineralresources as they could be raised by several times and this increase would notaffect poorer households but would distribute this burden much more evenly inthe society," said Strandberg.