Skopje, 4 January 2022 (MIA) - Macedonian Finance Minister, Fatmir Besimi, said Tuesday there are no additional taxes or tax burdens for the citizens within the 2022 budget. “No increase in taxes, neither to cover for the energy crisis, because the budget provides about EUR 130 million for that purpose, as well as an additional EUR 90 million from the anti-Covid program or other crises,” said Besimi. Additional taxes are neither in the strategy for reform of the tax system. The goal is greater fairness in taxation, greater efficiency and effectiveness of the tax system for better revenue collection, increased tax transparency, better service quality and the introduction of environmental taxation. According to Besimi, last year saw an over-performance in the collection of tax revenues and contributions, which was a signal that the economy is recovering. As a result of better tax collection, budget deficit has also reduced. “Due to better tax collection, the budget deficit is reduced by 0.5 percent of GDP. Therefore, I’d like to point out that what is being done in the part of reforms in the Public Revenue Office to get a fairer tax system means better economy, better standard and better quality of life. That’s why we’re starting off the year with a meeting in the Public Revenue Office,” said Besimi. Revenues in the period January-December 2021 were Mden 89 billion 617 million, which is 17.89 percent more compared to 2020. In December, 8 billion 816 million were collected, which is 8.5 percent more compared to December 2020. Regarding the measure for subsidizing higher salaries, which was launched in October 2019, 10,500 companies benefitted from it for 57,000 employees on average until December 2019, while in 2020 it was used by 23,900 companies for 120,000 employees. Last year, in the period January-October, the measure was used by 24,400 companies for 134 employees.