Budget 2024/ Tabaku: It offers nothing, except the impoverishment of citizens!

Democratic deputy, Jorida Tabaku, commented on the 2024 budget approved in principle by the Assembly the day before.

Through a video on Facebook, Tabaku writes that in fact the new budget project is not in the interest of the citizens, as they will pay about 70 million euros more in taxes.

While touching on some important issues in this budget project, Tabaku says that in fact it offers nothing, except impoverishment of citizens and increase in taxes.

The full speech of the deputy:

"The government approved the 2024 budget in a session that did not have a fair and honest debate to understand what the budget offers for Albanian families. Therefore, I believe it is right for Albanians to learn and understand why this approved budget is not in the interest of the citizens who will pay almost 70 million euros more in taxes. In ten years of socialist budgets, 95% of Albanians have been charged more than 3 billion euros. While a small minority has benefited from fiscal favors that have created a scheme of inequality and dishonesty. The middle class pays the biggest tax burden today, while a handful of companies benefiting from tax breaks pay a very small part of this increase. The progressive socialist taxation scheme has engineered a dishonest taxation system. A large hotel business pays a reduced VAT on the products it sells on its premises, while a medium-sized business will have to pay 20% VAT on the products it sells on its premises. A 5-star hotel pays a reduced profit tax while AirBnB businesses that boost household income for a middle class pay up to 23%. A large business pays 15% tax on profits while a self-employed, middle-class professional will pay up to 23% from 1 January 2024.

All this has produced an informal economy and has encouraged the invention of methods and forms to escape this unfair taxation system, harming the state budget, the economy and undoubtedly the citizens themselves. In 2013, progressive taxation created a dishonest system that we talk about today, especially the middle class, was charged with a progressive burden that was sold as fair taxation. It actually produced the dishonesty of a government that put forward its arguments for this dishonest socialist system of taxation. Citizens began to avoid them by going informal or by opening NIPTs that today cost the economy 30% of GDP. A government that sets up an unfair fair system does not just tax the weakest but favors those around it. So since 2015 the government has started to continuously favor a small handful who own everything and provide almost nothing to our GDP. The per capita income of the country is still the lowest, while the purchasing power of Albanians in relation to the region is still the last. So what has the economic vision of the government served in these ten years? To impoverish the Albanians, to build a dishonest taxation system and to encourage an informal economy.

The figures of a government failure are also hidden in the collection of revenues, which, although it has increased taxes by over 3 billion euros, continues to collect the same amount as ten years ago, i.e. 25% of GDP. Evidence of the progressive failure of a socialist government that taxes the poorest and favors the oligarchy. Evidence of a policy that favors a small economic clique by unfairly suppressing the entrepreneurial spirit of Albanians. A formula that also fits in the 2024 budget that was approved yesterday. With 70 million euros in extra taxes on the backs of the middle class and Albanians. The government propagandizes in the media that the budget is 7 billion euros, which is twice as high as ten years ago. Of course, since there are more taxes than ten years ago. But, beyond propaganda, what does the biggest budget have in store for Albanians and a strong Albania?

1. Infrastructure

Although the socialist government propagandizes that the 7 billion euro budget is the largest in years, it foresees 24% less funds for road construction than the 2023 budget and not only that, but referring to the expected disbursement funds that accompany the 2024 budget, the figure is 14.5% less than this year's budget plan.

Where does the rest go?

- The Llogara tunnel that has no end in sight.

- The port of Durrës worth 410 million euros that was promised would be built by the private sector

-And other projects that are not in the budget but are propagated

2. Health

The socialist government promised ten years ago that free healthcare was its goal. She promised that care for the sick and better health conditions would be the goal of her health policy.

Dhjetë vjet pas këtij premtimi dhe qeveria socialiste ka sot një politikë që i jep më shumë para dhe buxhet tre kompanive të koncesioneve dhe PPP-ve në kontrata korruptive sot nën hetim nga SPAK se sa u jep qytetarëve shërbime shëndetësore.

Në këto 10 vite shpenzimet për rimbursimet për barnat shkuan nga 2.1% e shpenzimeve totale buxhetore në 2013 në 1.6% të totalit të shpenzimeve në 2024.

Kurse fondet nga sigurimet shoqërore, që vijnë si pasojë e rritjes së taksave, është rritur nga 20% në 40%. Ky është një shembull perfekt se si taksat e juaja nuk shkojnë për t’ju përmisuar shërbimet por tek korrupsioni.

3.Bujqësia

Sipas të gjitha të dhënave bujqësia përfaqëson mbi 20% të PBB-së ndërkohë që për thuajse dy vite me radhë rritja e saj ka qenë 0%. Si ka mundësi? Si ka mundësi që sektori më i madh ta lëmë në harresë?

Vizioni i qeverisë socialiste ka qenë standard që nga 2013; bujqve ofroi propagandë dhe radhë të gjata.

Siç edhe dihet ku ka radhë ka dhe korrupsion.

Shqipëria financoi mesatarisht më 0.19% të PBB sektorin bujqësor gjatë viteve 2020-2021. Sipas një krahasimi të Bankës Botërore, ky është niveli më i ulët në rajon dhe në BE.

Në buxhetin 2024, zëri i bujqësisë do të marrë të paktën 9% më pak financime se plani i këtij viti, i finalizuar në aktin normativ për ndryshimin e buxhetit 2023. Në shifra kjo përkthehet kështu; për 2024 bujqit do të kenë 15.6 mld lekë më pak se sa viti aktual

Pra, sektori i bujqësisë së pjesën e luanit në ekonominë tonë por financohet më pak nga qeveria socialiste. Ndërkohë që edhe fondet IPARD janë sot dyshim si pasojë e korrupsionit galopant që ka prekur çdo sektor të ekonomisë.

4.PPP

Në buxhetin 2024 nuk është për arsimin, shëndetësinë, infrastrukturën apo dhe për projekte të tjera më të dobishme. Ku shkojnë milarda euro taksa të shqiptarëve? Për kë është realisht buxheti 2024 me vlerë 7 mld euro?

Përgjigjen e gjeni tek tabela e Koncesioneve/PPP-ve që vazhdon të marrë gjithnjë e më shumë miliarda nga taksa e shqiptarëve.

Qeveria socialiste ka vendosur që t’u japë 145 mln euro më shumë PPP-ve dhe koncesioneve ku gjysma e tyre janë nën hetim nga SPAK. Jo vetëm kaq por mazhoranca socialiste i dha lejen qeverisë socialiste që të paguajë më shumë dhe shtrenjtë PPP-të edhe pse prej mbi dy vjetësh Ministria e Financave dhe Ekonomisë nuk ka botuar një raport të situatës së PPP-ve dhe raportin e tyre me kontratën.

Ky raport që mungon është dëshmi se si qeveria socialiste u fsheh shqiptarëve se si i manaxhon taksat e tyre që i rrit përvit.

Në dhjetë vite ajo ka operuar si një ndërmjetës për t’i ofruar një grushti të vogël 50% të PBB-së në kontrata PPP/Koncesione kurse shqiptarëve 3 mld euro taksa më shumë.

The socialist government for ten years has taken more taxes from them by abusively distributing them to a small handful of oligarchs who further bless them with other favors. This institutionalized system is always protected with the facade of a well-engineered propaganda and dressed with the cynicism of a government that knows the price of everything and the value of nothing. Budget 2024 is the budget of a socialist government that has never thought about your table. Especially today! At a time when the Albanian economy is expected to be hit by inflation more and the Albanians feel even more the socialist misgovernance that has progressively impoverished them.

The increase in foreign exchange savings, the damage to companies that are exporting and the corrupt PPP scheme and the risk of public debts. Nothing offers; the impoverishment of citizens and the increase in taxes," says Tabaku.