Durres, Fiscal Package 2012 approved, recommendations of the interest groups accepted

The Municipal Council of Durres has approved the Fiscal Package 2012, taking into consideration the amendments promoted in the public discussion of the fiscal package organized by the Center for Public Information Issues (CPII) and the Durres Citizens’ Transparency Office (CTO). Some of the taxes and tariffs were not increased, thus remaining at the same level as during 2011.

In the original draft prepared by the municipality administration, almost all taxes and tariffs were increased by 10% -30% compared to the previous year. The left wing councilors of the Municipal Council played a determinant role in maintaining the status-quo of the previous Fiscal Package by fully adopting and voting in favor of the recommendations made by the interest groups in the meeting organized by CPII and its local branch in Durres, Citizens’ Transparency Office. Most of these recommendations are reflected in the final decision voted by the Council in the meeting held on January, 17, 2012.

The fiscal package represents the local taxes and tariffs, which are to be paid to the Municipality of Durres by persons, families, and businesses. The fiscal package is drafted by the Office of Mayor of Durres and is forwarded to the Municipal Council for discussion and approval. In accordance with the fiscal package, the Office of the Mayor starts drafting the budget, which is also forwarded to the Municipal Council for discussion and approval.

On 21 December 2011, the CPII and Durres CTO, in close collaboration with the Municipal Council of Durres, held an open discussion of the Fiscal Package 2012. This was the first open meeting with relevant stakeholders ever organised in Durres in the frame of drafting the Fiscal Pacakge (in the pas there have been some discussions only for budget expenditures, but not for the budget income). In that meeting were present different interest groups, such as the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Builders Association, the Chamber of Shoes and Clothes Industry, the Traders Association, the Association of Tourist Operators, etc. During the discussions, a number of amendments to the fiscal package were presented, such as the outright removal or the reduction of the hotel tax, the reduction of the tax for small businesses, the reduction of the tax for removing urban waste, fiscal regionalization of the city, private usage of public property on competition basis, etc.

During the Municipal Council meeting, the councilors stressed the fact that the Office of the Mayor had not included any of the amendments in the draft presented for approval. However, the Municipal Council Commission for Finances, Budget, and Taxes made its proposals for each tax and tariff, and the Municipal Council was asked to vote. Thus, the Municipal Council approved the Fiscal Package 2012, keeping the level of taxes and tariffs as during 2011. At the end, the public discussion initiated by the CPII and Durres CTO showed its effectiveness and its success in increasing the role of public in the decision making process. Prior to the meeting, the CPII and Durres CTO advanced to all the councilors the full minutes of the public discussion held on 21 December 2011, which proved helpful in showing the public awareness.

The Municipal Council of Durres has 45 seats, from which 24 are controlled by the Alliance for the Citizen coalition, led by the Democratic Party, and 21 seats are controlled by the Alliance for the Future coalition, led by the Socialist Party. In this Municipal Council meeting were present 43 councilors.

Paketa Fiskale 2012, Keshilli Bashkiak Durres, Dt. 17.01.2012, from Qendra CIP on Vimeo.