Serbian Association of Employers Sends Government List of Measures for Reduction of Charges – Proposal for Businesses to Participate in Adoption of Economic Measures

The Serbian Association of Employers will propose to the Government of Serbia to change the way the measures against COVID-19 are adopted, pertaining to those that concern the economy and the business environment.

According to their press release, the association proposes a reorganization of the Crisis Response Team, which would be turned into a Medical Response Team and be in charge of the health and medical aspects of the pandemic.

– Based on the information that the Association has gathered from a large number of companies from all sectors and of all sizes, the measures of the Crisis Response Team seemed unclear and ambiguous. Also, the way they were adopted was not timely or transparent, causing major problems in organizing business activities. The Association believes that the proposed medical response team should have the role of announcing clear and concrete recommendations to the public, including the businesses, based on the scientific findings and the practice, and to give guidelines to the Government concerning the projected development of the epidemic and the adequate measures – they say.

The Association also says that the measures of the Government of Serbia which have been realized since the outbreak of the pandemic have been great support to the economy of Serbia.

– Still, the word crisis pertains to limited time periods, so now, a year later, we must bring the institutions back their roles for the further management of the state, the economy, the health system, the education system and other important segments. It is now clear that the onset of new virus strains will last for several years, that the virus has caused great damage and that the period of recovery and redefining of the way of life and doing business will take some time, with some inevitable permanent changes. The Serbian Association of Employers therefore proposes that the Government, through regular consultations, relies on the support of the bodies it is actively involved in, such as the Social-Economic Council of the Republic of Serbia, where the economy and the employers can help with concrete solutions, being well familiar with the everyday practice in the operations of domestic companies. The Association once again expresses its readiness to give its full support in these consultations, to the benefit of all companies and, with that, all citizens of the Republic of Serbia – the press release says.

The association also says that it yesterday sent the government a proposition of operating measures that would enable companies to function, in order to avoid unnecessary costs of the recovery of the economy:

– A reduction of the VAT on food and drinks to 10% within hotel and hospitality businesses.

– Exemption from income tax for the most jeopardized sectors, which were banned from working in the past period.

– Postponement of salary tax and contribution payment in the fields where operations were restricted (by the measures) in the past period, as well as exemption from salary tax and contribution payment in the fields where the work was banned, that is, made impossible.

– The stopping of the implementation of new fees and other charges on the state level and the local level.

– Exemption from fees for public area space use (outdoor seating areas, setting up ad panels and displaying ads), fees for company name displays at the business premises, ads, fees for environmental protection and improvement, fees for draining/irrigation and other fees until the pandemic ends for all the employers that have been restricted or entirely prevented from working in the past period.

Unija poslodavaca Srbije Beograd

Vlada Republike Srbije

Serbian Association of Employers

Government of Serbia

Crisis Response Team

economy stimulus measures

Covid 19 epidemic

coronavirus

inclusion of businesses in adopting economic measures

proposition of economic measures