‘IRS should be reduced to levels prior to the troika’

What do you expect from the next government in terms of tax burden?

We do not know what we can expect, but whoever wins I hope it will continue this IRS reduction policy to reach the levels prior to the troika, as they have rose a lot since then. The middle class tax rate has been very high and it is necessary to get a balance. I hope this effort has been made in the last two, three years to remain, whatever the government. I would love to see measures related to the determination of real estate value. Mais-value is a very high tax and should be allowed, for example, to sell a secondary housing to have a more comfortable old age without paying this added value. It should also be maintained, for example, some of the more housing measures so that the sale of a housing that is not own and permanent can be reinvested in the amortization of own and permanent housing loans of their own or their descendants or ascendants. These are important measures even to bring some dynamism to the market, as it is an issue that will surely worry any ruler. One of the very negative points that exists right now in Portugal is the lack of housing.

Would it be positive to reduce the VAT from the construction that was spoken, but was it a measure that was spoiled in the state budget?

Undoubtedly. I hope the next government is a lot focus on these housing issues because housing is blocking the country. There are no houses to lease, there is no housing to buy and this is creating huge embarrassment in the country’s growth and the VAT of construction lower to 6% could help promote more construction.

On the business side. Are there conditions to download IRS again? In the last budget there was an iron arm and only descended 1%…

I have always been a defender of the IRC descent. Companies pay taxes otherwise and pay very high taxes, namely the work. They shouldn’t have such a high IRC. Companies contribute a lot, have to create wealth and have to grow. If companies do not grow, the economy does not grow either. There must be much more robust measures for companies so that growth is exempt and to feel in a country that bets on them. I would love to see merely measures from all candidates, all party election programs to promote business growth.

If we have a minority government again, there will have to be understandings between parties, which is not always easy…

There must be a kind of pact between the parties. In the elections each must present their program, but then, although it is often not what who loses defends, there should be a convergence for the sake of the country. We are needing this, the country needs to grow, it needs to create conditions for greater productivity, stability and stability, it is obviously also with a government that becomes robust, even though it has no absolute majority. And in strategic ideas or ideas that are for the sake of the country there should be a tacit agreement to be able to realize.

Will there be conditions to advance finally with the famous tax shock?

Conditions is always difficult, the expense is still very large and although there is surplus, taxes are necessary to cover these expenses. We are still far from what any taxpayer understands as a tax shock and what for the government can be seen as a tax shock will be different in the perception of taxpayers. But instead of talking about the most important fiscal shock would be to talk about the continuity of tax descent, albeit gradual to have a balance.