Mustafa: PDK has initiated changing the Law on Taxation to Property, raising tax burden is impoverishing citizens

Mustafa said this initiative was undertaken after doubling property tax bills for 2023 for most Kosovo citizens.

This tax increase came at a time when the well-being of the citizens was greatly increased because of price hikes. So, in the conditions when price hikes reached unprecedented levels in Kosovo's new history, while citizens' income remained generally unchanged and many families risk moving towards the poverty threshold, it is absolutely unacceptable that citizens become more burdened by increasing property tax”, he stressed.

In a bill initiated by the Parliamentary Group The PDK has been nominated for a year's suspension of property ratings done in 2022 on the part of the Ministry of Finance, Labour and Transfers so that property tax does not increase under these heavy economic conditions. The PDK invites all Kosovo Assembly deputies to support this bill.

This change and completion of Law 06/ L-005 for Taxation in the real estate will enable the application of property estimates and tax bills that have been through 2022. It has also been proposed that the Ministry of Finance, Labour and Transfers organise a new real estate assessment process. The new property assessment should be based on a professional and transparent process, where citizens and municipalities will have clear methodology and criteria on which new property assessment is based. And through this legal initiative, we have proposed that the Ministry of Finance, Labour and Transferament be imposed within a year to propose the necessary legal amendments with which the lower threshold of 0.15% specified in Article 9 of the basic law is being introduced so that more flexibility can be made for municipalities to adjust property rates under economic circumstances. Therefore, we invite Kosovo's Parliament deputies to give support to this bill”, he added.

Mustafa has called on the Government of Kosovo for positive assessment on this legal initiative of the PDK Parliamentary Group, and this issue is addressed as soon as possible, EO reports.

The support of this bill will create as little ease for the citizens of the country as they are facing heavy prosperity and will enable a new process of property assessment, based on transparency and a broader involvement of relevant parties to assess real estate. Any other attempt to shift attention from the unnecessary cargo imposed on the citizens of the country, as if the tendency to bear the responsibility of pardoning or not 100 euros, represents only a continuation of efforts to manipulate the public and fleeing the responsibility of unreasonable and reckless political actions. We are looking for sustainable solutions, not based on ad hoc steps as the Government is acting on the current bill. So a structured solution and in favour of Kosovo citizens”, Arben Mustafa said.