G.Paluckas: The government is involved in open discrimination – Respublika.lt

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Member of the Seimas Social Democrat Gintautas Paluckas. Photo of Elta

According to G. Paluckas, some of the measures approved by the Government to overcome the economic difficulties caused by the quarantine are “logically inexplicable and contrary to the principles of justice and proportionality.”

Addressing I. Šimonytė, the politician points out that under the current support procedure, the self-employed are discriminated against.

“Companies affected by COVID 19 receive grants with a ‘floor’ of € 500. This subsidy is intended to cover fixed costs, including rent, for which the previous compensation mechanism has been abolished. At the same time, the planned minimum amount of aid (grant) for the self-employed, otherwise the “floor”, is only 100 euros, “says G. Paluckas.

The appeal establishes that the aid to the self-employed is adapted to the taxes paid by these people and does not take into account the fixed costs incurred by these companies at all.

“Eligible individuals have already met their tax obligations and should not be held liable for the results of state policy. It is not the fault of sole proprietorships that the state has created a complex ‘multi-speed’ tax system and the amount of taxes paid as a result is, in some cases, extremely small, “says G. Paluckas.

It proposes to the Government to increase the lower support ceiling (“floor”) to EUR 500 (compared to the legal support “floor”) and to reduce the upper support ceiling to EUR 5,000. According to Paluck, such changes would create fairer conditions for entrepreneurs affected by COVID-19 to overcome the economic recession.

Social Democrats also call for the abolition of “discriminatory and double standards” regulation of trade in markets. Remember that the current compensation regime in the markets foresees that traders pay a market fee (toll).

“Why shouldn’t people who rent pavilions on lease in the same markets receive such compensation? Groups of people doing identical activities receive different support and this is open discrimination. We propose to establish that all those who trade in marketplaces, regardless of the place of sale (market-table, tent or pavilion) would not be discriminated against and could receive equal support (compensation) ”, says G. Paluckas.

According to the politician, “exceptions difficult to understand” have been made to leave trade restrictions on trade from kiosks and pavilions when deciding on trade liberalization in the markets.

“This solution not only applies double standards to groups of people who trade in the same market, but also discriminates against market traders in other forms of trade (small shops with a separate entrance from the outside can trade). Let us eliminate discriminatory trade regulation based on double standards in the markets ”, writes G. Paluckas in his speech to I. Šimonytė.