During a meeting with representatives of small business in Durrës, Rama said that “while the oil price hike is an element that hits all those who have a car, we have set a buffer to protect every family and small business from the soaring price of energy. ”

Rama said that “we make available a budget allocation for this.”

“Reducing oil taxes as they say, without including food would lead us to bankruptcy. Then how are we going to finance these pressing needs?” Rama said.

“There is another side to it: We can either increase the small business tax to 10% and VAT to 20% to offset reduction of oil tax and impose a 10% income tax for all wage earners. But we cannot do that,” Rama said, adding that the government has decided to zero the small business tax and increase the big business tax to 15%.

The Prime Minister added that “we cannot increase the price of energy to reduce the price of oil for those who have cars.”

“If we reduce oil taxes and in consequence increase the price of energy, then it would be a catastrophic shock,” he said.
/r.e/sm/