Tabaku: A bag of lies for citizens, the new fiscal package will burden their pockets and hand small businesses another bill

Democratic Party MP Jorida Tabaku warned that the government’s 2027 Fiscal Package would increase costs for small businesses and uncertainty for Albanian families.

In her “Weekend Corner” video, she opposed the proposed reduction of the VAT threshold from 10 million to 5 million lekë and the increase in the standard rate to 21%.

According to Tabaku, bringing businesses that are currently outside the scheme into it will force entrepreneurs to make difficult choices: raise prices, accept lower revenues, or risk closing down.

She also warned of increased informality and the artificial splitting of businesses to remain below the new threshold.

The MP stressed that behind every small business are a family’s savings and hard work. Turnover, she argued, is not the owner’s personal income, because it is used to pay suppliers, rent, and business expenses.

Turning to the proposal to cut VAT on food to 6%, Tabaku said the relief was needed but called for its impact to be measured by the actual reduction in grocery bills.

In her view, a lack of competition and concentrated markets could prevent the full tax cut from being passed on to consumers.

“Families cannot fill their shopping baskets with the government’s propaganda,” she said.

On the circulation tax, Tabaku opposed presenting the shift in payment from fuel to the annual vehicle charge as relief. What matters to citizens, she said, is the overall burden they pay.

In response to these changes, the MP said a proposal was being discussed for a fiscal code with clear rules and policies supporting businesses, which she described as a “constitution for business.”

She also called for education to be linked to the labor market and the productive sector, as well as for accountability in the use of public money.