Oak: Sutkus strongly defended the need not to increase bank taxes

“I can comment on what happened in the committee and in the working groups when we discussed bank taxes.

Stakeholders have been invited to working groups at all times. Company representatives also participated in the working groups, and Sutkus participated, and representatives of the Ministry participated in the banking association.

When I made a proposal to increase corporate income tax for banks (there was a Polish proposal, mine was another). Sutkus argued and opposed this proposal.

I didn’t quite understand why. Because business did not touch it. In a broad sense, it can be relevant if we name banks and companies. Sutkus was constantly concerned that this could be a step that could increase income tax for other companies as well, “he told Delfi on Monday.

V. Ąžuolas also said that V. Sutkus raised the question of whether this would not be the beginning to increase corporate income tax for all.

“I have constantly repeated the arguments that this is only for the banking sector. They have other exceptional opportunities to bear the so-called loss, etc.

Sutkus suggested that we not increase any income tax. It is detrimental how we will see ourselves against the banking sector, how we will see ourselves against investors.

How will we see ourselves in front of the new banks that want to come to Lithuania if they have a higher income tax?

Income tax increases only if the bank earns $ 2 million. benefit of the euro For all newcomers, this would not apply. Sutkus strongly defended the need for this tax, ”he said.

In December 2019, the Seimas decided that 2 million. The profits of banks that exceed one billion euros must be taxed at a rate of 20%. tariff.

Until 2020, banks were subject to the standard 15% rate. income tax rate.

Previously, it was proposed to adopt a new Financial Market Participants Tax Law, but when a group of Seimas members proposed to tax more profits, this idea was abandoned.

The Special Investigation Service and the Attorney General’s Office were reportedly conducting a pre-trial investigation into alleged large-scale bribery, bribery, influence peddling, extortion and forgery of documents.

V. Sutkus, President of the Lithuanian Business Confederation, and M. Zalatorius, President of the Lithuanian Association of Banks, were detained during the investigation.

At a press conference, Attorney General Evaldas Pašilis announced that a total of six people had been arrested, four of whom were not in public.

“There are reasonable questions that damage can be done to the entire state, the country’s budget and the fiscal responsibility of all citizens may have increased,” said E. Pašilis.

Minutes of the session of the Seimas Budget and Finance Committee held on December 9, 2019, in which the draft Law on Corporate Income Tax was discussed: