Martina Županić is one of many who have spoken against the introduction of property tax.
The Croatian government’s intention to introduce property taxes starting in January has caused unrest all over the country, with more than 100,000 people signing a petition against the decision. The property tax should replace the current communal fee. Although the government claims that the tax will not be higher than the current fee, many are doubtful that the authorities would launch such a major project without planning to bring in more money to the state coffers. The details of the tax and how much each individual owner will pay are still being worked out by the government.
The resistance movement has received an additional boost with a video uploaded to social networks by Martina Županić, seen already by hundreds of thousands of people.
“We should protest by demanding that a referendum should be called. During the next two to three weeks, until the end of August, it is very necessary for a critical mass of people to gather. In the media and among friends, we should speak about this problem at every possible occasion. You should read about the issue, follow all the news about it. In that way, you will know everything that is going on, and you will be able to inform others.
The documents for the referendum to be called will probably be filed by Živi Zid, since its president Ivan Vilibor Sinčić has already announced they would try to gather the necessary number of signatures. This drive has to be well organised, since there will be a limited amount of time, just 15 days from the start of the process, to gather 400,000 signatures. That is an incredibly high number and the deadline is very short.
Before that, we need to organise ourselves. We should already know who will man the stands for a collection of signatures, where the stands will be located, etc. We are currently working on that. That is why it is important that as many people as possible hear what we are planning to do and that they get involved.
I will focus my efforts on producing videos explaining all the steps because many people do not read the news. Most people do not even know that the property taxes have already been passed by the Parliament; they think that the Parliament is still to debate the issue and that it will vote it down. They do not understand what is going on and why the referendum is so important.
That is why I would like to ask you to monitor this issue as much as possible and to support the initiative. Share all the posts about this issue and talk about it,” said Županić, who spoke about her efforts in an interview with Index.hr.
She stated that she was a Živi Zid coordinator for the Jarun neighbourhood in Zagreb and that she filmed the video when she realised that people did not know what was happening. She is 34, has a seven-year-old daughter and has lived in Jarun all her life. Until recently, she was an owner of a restaurant which she had to close down.
“This Sunday, my colleague from Živi Zid Matea and I toured the local market, and we talked with people. Many did not know that the law had been passed. When we told them that the tax would be introduced starting from 1 January, there was panic. They asked us what they can do, how it happened, who has allowed it,” explained Županić.
“No one understood what the signatures were being collected for. There is a petition on the internet, social network groups are being started. Some think that the petition is the same as collecting signatures for a referendum, and therefore I decided to produce a video to inform people,” says Županić. “There is too much disinformation out there. I believe it is easier for people to listen to something which is simply explained.”
She added that she planned to produce more videos like this. “We want to prepare people, regardless of their political affiliation, no matter how many properties they own or not. It is important that they love our homeland and that they do not want us to be converted into serfs. I invite citizens to follow the announcements because we will need all the help we can get,” concluded Županić. “Politicians either keep silent or lie to the public. There is a reason why some of us are blocked by the media.”
