The worst time to introduce a car tax has been chosen – right now, when the purchasing power of Estonian people is decreasing and consumers don’t have the energy to go shopping and companies don’t dare to make investments, priority should be given to coping and not additional burdens, Riigikogu member Lauri Laats said after Finance Minister Mart Võrklaev had answered at the session of the plenary session, to the relevant inquiry of the faction of the Central Party.
“Finance Minister Mart Võrklaev does not want to understand that if in Tallinn and its surroundings it is possible to carry out daily errands with an economical small car, in rural areas the presence of a powerful vehicle is often essential. To abolish the county’s free public transport, which is well accepted by passengers, and burden people with car tax shows an arrogant attitude. The car tax leaves less money in people’s hands and directly affects their livelihood,” he said Lauri Laats.
According to Lauri Laats, the Finance Minister’s claim that the purpose of the new tax is to slow down the use of cars is far-fetched and does not take into account the needs of the residents of remote areas. “I have not noticed that there are traffic jams on the streets of small towns or that the air pollution exceeds the permitted limit. Considering the increase in the cost of living, it is not a very good idea to recommend people to buy a new and environmentally friendly car. In Estonia, the number of people living in relative poverty and bankrupt companies is increasing, but the government has no economic policy, and instead the path of easier resistance is taken and people’s last savings are taken,” he said.
Instead of focusing on the car tax, a national program should be developed, the aim of which is to support those people who cannot afford a more environmentally friendly car, Lauri Laats found. “Today, the average age of a car in Estonia is over 13 years, but most owners of older cars cannot afford a more environmentally friendly machine. Moreover, the purchase of a new car becomes even more difficult due to the registration tax. This means that the proposed car tax will hit the less well off the hardest and will not fulfill its purpose. The number of scrap vehicles on Estonian roads is increasing. Some are forced to give up their car, but we know that for many, a car is a matter of preserving the quality of life, if not of survival,” said the vice-chairman of the Center Party.
