IMF wants Serbia not to rule out higher taxes

International Monetary Fund (IMF) Deputy Director for Europe Paul Thompson said that increasing taxes in Serbia is still a possibility. He said that this could occur if all other measures fail to cover the deficit adequately. IMF wants Serbia not to rule out higher taxes Thompson told Belgrade daily Politika that the IMF expects Serbia to implement concrete measures for covering the budget deficit, including decreasing public spending. If this is not enough, higer taxes will have to be discussed. The General Assembly of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank is being held in Istanbul on October 6-7, to be attended by Serbian Finance Minister Diana Dragutinovic, Economy and Regional Development Minister Mladjan Dinkic and National Bank of Serbia Governor Radovan Jelasic. “If the Serbian delegation has a concrete pan for decreasing expenses, we will support it, if not, they will have to agree with us and think about increasing taxes,” Thompson said. The IMF official added that he understands the political pressure the Serbian government is facing, "but that they will have to face this if they want to withdraw the second installment of the approved EUR 2.9bn loan".

IMF wants Serbia not to rule out higher taxes

Thompson told Belgrade daily Politika that the IMF expects Serbia to implement concrete measures for covering the budget deficit, including decreasing public spending. If this is not enough, higer taxes will have to be discussed.

The General Assembly of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank is being held in Istanbul on October 6-7, to be attended by Serbian Finance Minister Diana Dragutinović, Economy and Regional Development Minister Mlađan Dinkić and National Bank of Serbia Governor Radovan Jelašić.

“If the Serbian delegation has a concrete pan for decreasing expenses, we will support it, if not, they will have to agree with us and think about increasing taxes,” Thompson said.

The IMF official added that he understands the political pressure the Serbian government is facing, "but that they will have to face this if they want to withdraw the second installment of the approved EUR 2.9bn loan".