Imposed tax on alcoholic beverages in Slovakia is unfair and not only from the viewpoint of their country of origin, new Heineken Slovensko general director Odin Goedhart said at a press conference on Thursday. "Approximately 80 percent of beer consumption is produced in Slovakia, but the figure is only half that of wine.
We're convinced that fairness and equal conditions in the tax system are important in order not to have some beverage discriminated against on the market," he said. Goedhart pointed out that in the wake of 100-percent tax hikes imposed in 2003 solely on beer, sales dropped by 10 percent. Such a development had direct consequences in terms of the state budget revenues and employment. "In 2010, once again, we faced an attempt of then-government to introduce tax hikes - again exclusively on beer - by 50 percent. The intent wasn't carried out at the end of the day, though, and that was a very wise decision." The Finance Ministry, however, doesn't entertain any changes in taxes on alcoholic beverages. "The Finance Ministry is not contemplating any changes to excise taxes at the moment," said the ministry press department.
