The news in Croatian
Premijer Andrej Plenković objavio je planove za smanjenje poreza na dohodak u Zagrebu. Cilj je smanjenje poreznog opterećenja radnika i prelazak na porez na imovinu . Plenković je rekao da gradski prihodi to omogućuju. Naglasio je da nema pritisaka protiv reformi i odbacio je glasine o hrvatskim vojnicima u Ukrajini.
Translation
Prime Minister Andrej Plenković has announced plans to cut income taxes in Zagreb. The goal is to reduce the tax burden on workers and shift towards a property tax. Plenković stated that the city's revenues make this possible. He emphasised that there is no opposition to the reforms and dismissed rumours about Croatian soldiers in Ukraine.
Exercise: Text comprehension
Question 1: What is the purpose of reducing income tax in Zagreb?
The purpose is to reduce the tax burden on workers and switch to a property tax.
Question 2: Did Plenković mention any opposition to the tax reforms?
No, Plenković mentioned that there are no pressures against the reforms.
Exercise: Vocabulary
Read the full story
Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković announced plans to reduce the income tax in Zagreb, following the first session of the Croatian Parliament. During a press conference, he pointed out that the financial position of Zagreb would enable this reduction, describing the move as part of a broader tax reform initiative aimed at easing the tax burden on labour and shifting focus towards the taxation of property.
The Prime Minister emphasized that the income tax cut is feasible because of Zagreb's A-rating and economic growth, which he says has bolstered the city’s revenue. He criticized local authorities for not using previous opportunities to alleviate the tax pressure on workers, suggesting that they could have increased wages.
Plenković dismissed rumors of external pressures from banks and the Catholic Church opposing the government's tax reforms. "There are no such pressures," he stated confidently, indicating that the planned reforms would proceed to the legislative process without interference.
In addition, Plenković rebutted allegations made by Parliament member Miro Bulj about deploying Croatian troops to Ukraine, labelling them as unfounded and absurd. He rhetorically questioned the rationale behind such claims, asserting that these speculations only serve to alarm the public unnecessarily.
Plenković’s announcements came during a period of intense heat, which he humorously suggested may have lowered the quality of political discussion to which everyone is accustomed. Nonetheless, he assured that more detailed information about the proposed tax reforms will be made publicly available once all aspects are harmonized.
The Prime Minister concluded his address without commenting on a separate issue involving Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić and the arrest of actor Sergej Trifunović, thus maintaining focus on domestic economic measures.
Info: "Croatian Learner News" is a service from "Let's Learn Croatian," a language school offering guidance on how to learn Croatian.