The planned value added tax hike in Croatia will push it from 23 to 25% and make it one of the countries in Europe with the highest VAT rate, alongside Denmark, Sweden and Norway.

In Croatia, VAT was imposed on 1 January 1998 at the rate of 22%. It was increased by one per cent on 1 August 2009.

In Cyprus the value-added-tax will increase from 15% to 17% on March 1. Thus, the government hopes to reduce the projected budget deficit to 2.4% of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2012 from 6% last year.

The European Commission warned Cyprus that it faces the threat of financial penalties if it does not reduce the deficit to below 3% of GDP.

Hungary has the highest VAT rate in Europe at 27%. The lowest VAT rate in the European Union – 15% – is in force in Luxembourg.

After a series of U-turns Bulgaria‘s government decided at the end of May 2010 to scrap plans for an increase of the 20% value added tax in a bid to plug a budget gap that has thwarted the new EU member’s efforts to join the euro in the near future.

The VAT increase has been a thorny issue in Bulgaria for months on end with the cabinet changing their mind numerous times and several versions tossed around, ranging from 22% to 24%.

The VAT hike was proposed as part of a package of new austerity measures, which also include the introduction of a luxury tax, floating minority stakes in state-owned companies and a possible bond issue.

Politicians, analysts and trade unions took a firm stand against the hike, citing a long line of negative repercussions – an increase in the inflation rate, an expansion of the grey sector, a slow-down in the economic growth, in short a boost for the impact of the crisis.

Representatives from all business sectors cautioned that the hike in the value-added tax in Bulgaria should be a last-ditch measure, introduced only together with an overhaul in government expenditure and structural reforms.

Speaking to the press, Čačić said the new terminal will help boost tourism and will also provide a chance for Croatia to become a regional hub in the Balkans. “Construction work will start by the end of the year”, Čačić added. The offer by Aeroports de Paris outlines that during the first phase of the project a new terminal will be built with the capacity to handle five million passengers. The price tag of the project will amount to approximately 190 million Euros, although the exact expenses will be finalised within 180 days after the bid is officially accepted by the government. A further 29 million Euros will be invested after passenger traffic through the airport exceeds five million travellers.

Međimurska banka has been operating on  the  regional market of northern Croatia  (the Counties of Međimurje and Varaždin) and with the branch network of 16 offices proves to be the most profitable medium-sized regional bank in the country. In 2011 Međimurska banka earned HRK 32.5 million after tax, in the end of the year the total Bank’s assets were HRK 2.83 billion, and capital adequacy ratio was 20.10 percent (prescribed minimum rate  is 12 percent). Although Međimurska banka  is, as  the PBZ Group member  for a number of years, very successful bank of recognisable  local brand, we  timely  foresaw  the   market needs  for  further operative modernisation of  its activities which  day-to-day  overcame  the  thresholds  of  regional  character,  and  also  recognised  the  intensified needs  for  technological  and  regulatory  compliance,  to  be  accompanied with  additional  substantial  investment. Međimurska  banka  has  been  the  PBZ  Group member  since  2000  and  this  is  the  final  step  towards  the  full integration into the PBZ system.

Privredna banka Zagreb d.d., with about 1.6 million corporate and retail clients, is a modern universal credit institution offering a full range of specialised financial products and services intended for retail and corporate clients. PBZ has also the most extensive and widespread branch and branch office network in the country with more than 200 branch offices throughout 5 regions and about 600 ATMs. It is the second large bank in Croatia with the market share in various operating segments up to 20 percent, and in credit card operations even exceeding 30 percent.  Owing to the size and strength of capital it significantly contributes to financing the Croatian economy. In the end of 2011 the capital adequacy ratio of PBZ was 20.35 percent, the Bank’s assets HRK 67.5 billion and PBZ Group’s 74.2 billion. The PBZ Group successfully ended the past business year (according to unaudited figures) and earned net profit of HRK 1.27 billion. Source: PBZ

Zvonimir Sostar, the head of the City office for Health reminded that 13 thousand people a year die because of smoking. 30 percent of young people become heavy smokers. The most alarming piece of information is that there are more and more children under 15 who start smoking. The Institute of Public Health Andrija Stampar revealed that in Zagreb there are more than 60 percent of deaths of people under 65 which are connected with smoking.

- During last four years’ period we have been performing the free medical examination of people who smoke. Last year we examined 1664 people. Most of them had lungs diseases or problems with breathing although they themselves didn’t have any symptoms – said Alma Rozman, the head of the Clinic for lung diseases.

- Today we have decided that the City of Zagreb will finance the new medical device for bronchial examination which will enable to diagnose lung diseases in people who smoke. The project itself will cost about one mil HRK – the Mayor said.

http://dalje.com/en-croatia/13-thousand-people-a-year-die-in-croatia-due-to-smoking/419282

- We cannot deliver our merchandize on time. We are trying to bypass those blockades and that cause us higher costs and frequent damages on our trucks. No one will compensate this damage to us. We are not against the protest but we send a public appeal that dairymen, buyers and the state should work on their unsolved problems . We shouldn’t be paying the price for their arguments. In the last five years our costs were increased for hundred percent, and we still don’t make problems for other entrepreneurs and the state – says Milivoj Jorgic, the owner of Slatinatrans company that has few trucks that got ”trapped” today due to road blockades across Croatia.

http://dalje.com/en-croatia/transporters–peasants-protesters-cause-us-damage/419281

Croatia’s INA oil and gas group, in which Hungary’s MOL is main shareholder, will withdraw from Syria after the government on Thursday adopted economic sanctions against the Middle East nation.

“INA now has to withdraw completely from Syria,” Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic said, quoted by the state-run HINA news agency.

The sanctions were in line with the European Union measures, the government said.

Croatia is set to become EU’s newest member in mid-2013.

INA said in a statement it was to “completely comply” with the government’s decision.

The group said it would inform the public about “further measures that it will undertake aimed at both respecting the government’s decision and protecting its business interests.”

INA had already reduced its production of oil and gas in Syria and withdrew most of its employees from the Middle East country.

Deputy Prime Minister Radomir Cacic said that the consequences of the move were serious, but added it was made in agreement with INA.

In 2011 INA’s profit amounted to almost $350 million, with much of it linked to Syria, he said.

MOL holds 47.25 percent of INA while the Croatian government controls another 44.84 percent.

-AFP/NOW Lebanon

Nell’articolo pubblicato ieri dal quotidiano quarnerino si rileva che in ambito governativo si stanno però vagliando due opzioni: quella già citata e l’altra che permetterebbe invece la restituzione degli averi (o il risarcimento) anche ai cittadini d’oltreconfine, equiparandoli in toto a coloro che posseggono la “domovniza”, il certificato di cittadinanza croata. La prima soluzione pare quella maggiormente gradita dal governo composto dai partiti della coalizione denominata Kukuriku, ovvero da socialdemocratici, popolari, pensionati e Dieta democratica istriana. Per sbarrare la strada agli stranieri, così la fonte, si dovrebbe modificare la Costituzione croata, immettendo una norma che garantirebbe esclusivamente ai cittadini croati restituzione o risarcimento. Ricordiamo che una simile regola fu cassata nel 1999 dalla Corte costituzionale croata che la riteneva discriminatoria.

Per riportarla nella legge in materia, si dovrebbe pertanto cambiare la Costituzione. «I cittadini stranieri – è quanto filtra ufficiosamente dal governo – non possono in tutto e per tutto venire equiparati a quelli croati perché ciò andrebbe a ledere il concetto stesso di cittadinanza. In futuro la Costituzione dovrebbe recitare che lo Stato croato ha l’obbligo di restituire i beni nazionalizzati o confiscati soltanto ai propri cittadini. Per arrivare a ciò avremo bisogno del sostegno del principale schieramento d’opposizione, l’Accadizeta. Insieme avremmo i numeri per la modifica costituzionale». Di pari passo, come già detto, si sta battendo la pista della liberalizzazione totale, in questo momento impedita dalla normativa che parla di restituzione o indennizzo soltanto ai cittadini stranieri i cui Paesi hanno firmato il relativo accordo bilaterale con Zagabria. Sarà ma intanto l’anno scorso il Tribunale amministrativo e la Corte suprema hanno sentenziato che gli eredi di una cittadina brasiliana hanno diritto al risarcimento per i beni che le erano stati portati via dalle autorità jugoslave.

Andrea Marsanich

“Il Piccolo” 24 febbraio 2012

“Le vicende del Confine orientale e il mondo della scuola. Il contributo dei Giuliano-Dalmati alla storia e alla cultura nazionale”: questo il tema del terzo seminario nazionale, svoltosi per la prima volta ieri a Trieste al Savoia Excelsior Palace. Il convegno, presenti 130 docenti delle scuole di ogni ordine e grado di diverse regioni, intende conservare la memoria della tragedia degli italiani e di tutte le vittime delle foibe e dell’esodo di istriani, fiumani e dalmati dalle loro terre. Con l’intento di consentire approfondite riflessioni sui contributi culturali dei Giuliano-Dalmati al profilo storico della nazione. Essenziale, per la sua organizzazione, il contributo dell’Anvgd ottenuto in virtù della L. 72/2011 e successive modifiche e integrazioni.

La Repubblica riconosce il 10 Febbraio quale Giorno del ricordo al fine di conservare e rinnovare la memoria della tragedia degli italiani e di tutte le vittime delle foibe, dell’esodo dalle loro terre degli istriani, fiumani e dalmati nel secondo dopoguerra e della più complessa vicenda del confine orientale. L’art.1 della Legge 92 del 30 marzo 2004, istituendo il Giorno del Ricordo come solennità civile, ha dato l’avvio alla diffusione della conoscenza dei tragici eventi presso i giovani delle scuole e, contestualmente, ha sollecitato la realizzazione di studi, convegni, incontri e dibattiti da parte di enti e istituzioni, al fine di conservare la memoria di quelle vicende; ha valorizzato il patrimonio culturale, storico, letterario e artistico degli italiani dell’Istria, di Fiume e delle coste dalmate contribuendo a preservare le tradizioni delle comunità istriano-dalmate residenti nel territorio nazionale ed estero. Particolarmente significativi i contributi del professor Fulvio Salimbeni «L’Adriatico, mare che non divide ma unisce» e del professor Roberto Spazzali «La cultura giuliano-dalmata: un ponte europeo tra innovazione etradizione».

Molto seguita anche la tavola rotonda su “Letteratura, scienza, arte e sport sulle rive dell’Adriatico” con la partecipazione di Chiara Motka Luxardo, Elvio Guagnini, Alberto Rizzi, Nicola Bressi, Dante di Ragogna. Nell’aprire il convegno l’assessore regionale alla Cultura, Elio De Anna che detto che l’istituzione del Giorno dei Ricordo ha permesso di diffondere la conoscenza e la coscienza di una delle pagine più drammatiche della storia nazionale, quella delle foibe e dell’esodo.

(fonte “Il Piccolo” 24 febbraio 2012 – foto da www.arcipelagoadriatico.it )