The president of the association Voice of Entrepreneurs Hrvoje Bujas commented live on the N1 Studio about the economic situation in the country as well as the news that inflation in Croatia has reached a new highest level since the State Statistical Office (DZS) has been keeping these data.
Consumer prices in Croatia rose by 12.8 percent in September compared to the same month last year. “Inflation is entering a galloping phase, we were not surprised by that. This is still as good as it seems in reality,” he commented Hrvoje Bujas and added:
“The estimates of the Government and the CNB were that inflation would not be over 10 percent, and now we are over 12. We all saw that it would not be good. We are interested in the actions of the Government and the reforms we are looking for, and this is happening on a drop by drop basis. In the context of limiting electricity prices, something is happening and that is good, but key reforms are still not in sight.”
He points out that entrepreneurs experience insecurity both in procurement and in sales. “It’s hard to calculate when inflation is going at this rate, and when you do, your price goes up ten percent to cover the next month, which you don’t know what it’s going to look like,” he says.
Inflation is not only suffered by consumers: “Everyone suffers. Of course, employees want higher wages because money is worth less, we try to cover that. Procurement costs have grown considerably, sales costs have gone up, the price of the final product has to rise. The UGP demands that serious reforms (tax, judicial reform) be initiated and that this be a touch of optimism that should spill over into the market when the reforms occur. This process is ongoing, will the Government react, we make proposals and try to move the Government, but so far there is no response. We have not been able to meet with Filipović for the last four months, we had a better relationship with Ćorić.”
“Give me back TĆ, at least we could communicate with him. Filipović came, I believe he is working, but, minister, find five minutes to listen to the people from the UGP,” said Bujas.
Regarding gas price regulation, he pointed out that they are waiting for a solution at the level of the European Commission: “We are going to Brussels next week where we are pushing the issue and we are getting feedback that a solution is being sought at the EU level.
We expected a broader package in the context of implementing additional reforms, this is just a model of firefighting measures. It is fine in one part, but discriminatory in another, because all companies should have been in the same situation. The feedback from the field is good because the tension has calmed down and the situation has stabilized.”
Bujas emphasizes that the Voice of Entrepreneurs Association supported entry into the eurozone:
“We think it will reduce the cost of doing business and speed up processes, and it’s a good thing for tourism. We are unhappy that in the age of digitization, we entrepreneurs have to convert and certify with a notary public what we paid as share capital and pay HRK 2,500 per company. Such an expense is irrelevant and a waste of time. We appeal to the government to solve this problem that it created itself.”
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