ZAGREB, August 20, 2018 - The "Lipa" association of Croatian taxpayers has called on the government to withdraw its proposal for draft amendments to the legislation on salary contributions, explaining that the cause of "the artificially created problem" lies with different tax rates on income and profit and urging the equalising of tax rates.

ZAGREB, August 19 - The MOST party' leader Božo Petrov said that a draft bill of amendments to the law on contributions on salaries was an unbearable blow to entrepreneurs in Croatia. "I cannot see any rational explanation of such move of the government," Petrov said at a news conference in Split, describing the bill as shameful.

ZAGREB, August 18, 2018 - Finance Minister Zdravko Marić said on Saturday a bill of amendments to the law on contributions was aimed at preventing abuse observed in recent years and that the changes did not apply to company board members and directors who were permanently employed and worked full time, and that there would be no changes for small and medium-sized enterprises.

The government believes that owners of tourist rental apartments pay too low taxes compared to other taxpayers.

ZAGREB, August 16, 2018 - The Finance Ministry on Thursday put to public consultation several draft bills which envisage expanding the application of the 13% VAT rate as of 2019, reducing the general VAT rate from 25 to 24% as of 2020, and reducing real estate trade tax from 4 to 3%.

ZAGREB, August 13, 2018 - The Green List (Zelena Lista) on Monday supported Health Minister Milan Kujundžić's suggestion that he will insist on higher taxes on cigarettes and spirits, however, this non-parliamentary party criticises the minister for failing to propose higher excise duties on soft and carbonated drinks.

ZAGREB, August 8, 2018 - The leader of the Labour and Solidarity Party, Zagreb Mayor Milan Bandić, said on Wednesday that Croatia needs essential reforms that the government should have the courage to implement and one of those means to introduce a property tax, adding that his party won't support the tax reform but that it is not poised to bring down the government.

ZAGREB, August 4, 2018 - The NHS trade union federation said on Friday that the proposed changes to income tax and contributions will not dissuade young people from emigrating nor will they financially help the majority of citizens, who are in fact the most in need of aid.

ZAGREB, August 3 2018 - The Croatian Employers' Association (HUP) supported on Friday the government's efforts to reduce the tax burden on employers, but emphasised there was still room for more significant tax breaks, particularly with regard to costs of doing business and overall costs of labour.

ZAGREB, August 2, 2018 - Prime Minister Andrej Plenković on Thursday announced that next year further tax cuts were planned in the amount of 2.3 billion kuna, adding that the government hasn't backed down from reducing the general VAT rate by one percentage point but that it is considering, instead of introducing the reduction next year, to do so as of 1 January 2020.