ZAGREB, April 16, 2020 – Finance Minister Zdravko Marić said on Thursday budget revenues in the first half of this month were only a third of those generated in the first half of April 2019.
Speaking in parliament, he said the ministry expected May and June to be even more challenging.
Speaking of the effects of the crisis caused by the COVID-19 epidemic, Marić said fiscalised receipts in all activities were down 40%.
Responding to MPs’ questions, he said HRK 13-15 billion a month was needed for the health, pension and welfare systems as well as for the measures to help the economy.
That is about HRK 45 billion for three months and if we add over HRK 20 billion for liabilities due, there is a need for HRK 65-70 billion, Marić said.
He reiterated that 95,000 employers had applied to the Employment Service for support to keep 550,000 jobs, and said that HRK 1.4 billion had been paid out to date for 439,000 workers.
He said the rest of the money for the March wages would most likely be paid out by tomorrow, after which applications would be invited for April wages, which would be paid in the first two weeks of May.
Marić said the Tax Administration had received 102,000 applications for the deferral, full or partial write-off or instalment payment of public contributions and that 85% had been granted.
The government’s support for the economy shows the level of trust we have put in enterprise, the real and private sector, and we don’t expect this trust to be abused, he said.
Marić voiced hope that the government’s help would be utilised in the only right way, “which is that only with solidarity and unity can we ensure Croatia overcomes this crisis with the smallest scars possible and welcomes its end as prepared as possible.”
More economic news can be found in the Business section.
