Statement on the proposed changes in the method of allocation of personal and corporate income tax

According to information published on Wednesday, the 5^th of May, in Denník N, the Ministry of Finance of the Slovak Republic is preparing a tax system reform. We welcome the fact that the ministry is trying to adjust the complicated tax system. Slovakia needs to move forward in many areas, and the issue of taxes is one of them.

We also believe that the published information on the abolition of the possibility of allocating part of corporate income tax and tax reductions for natural persons is the misinformation mentioned by the Minister of Finance at his press conference and that the ministry will not propose these changes in the final reform proposal.

Tax assignment by both natural and legal persons is a unique tool that allows part of the taxes to be directed into fields, which urgently need assistance. In the last year, we have seen this, for example, in dealing with the pandemic and its effects on health. For years, the tax allocation has been directed to areas where society needs it most, such as education, the abovementioned healthcare, social area and environmental protection, as well as the promotion of culture and human rights.

Therefore, we invite government representatives, primarily representatives of the Ministry of Finance of the Slovak Republic, responsible for preparing the reform, to participate in a discussion with an aim to avoid a significant reduction in financial support for public benefit activities through a fair, motivating and transparent mechanism.

Members of the Chamber of Non-Governmental Organisations:

• Socioforum,
• Association of Social Service Providers in the Slovak Republic,
• Ecoforum,
• Spiral – Society of Environmental Educational Programmes,
• Youth Council of Slovakia,
• Donor Forum,
• Association of Community Foundations of Slovakia,
• Ambrela – Platform for Developmental Organisations,
• Women’s Lobby of Slovakia,
• Slovak Humanitarian Council,
• Union of Mothers’ Centres,
• Roundtable of Hungarians in Slovakia,
• Association of Organisations of Citizens with Disabilities in the Slovak Republic
• Life Forum,
• National Council of Citizens with Disabilities in the Slovak Republic,
• Association of Physical Education Units and Clubs of the Slovak Republic,
• Association of Mountain and Other Rescue Systems of the Slovak Republic,
• The Rural Parliament in Slovakia,
• Platform for Volunteer Centres and Organisations,
• Association of Corporate Foundations and Funds
• Slovak Coalition for Cultural Diversity,
• Association for the Protection of Patients’ Rights in the Slovak Republic,
• Slovak Network Against Poverty.

Civil society figures:

• Laura Dittel (Carpathian Foundation),
• Boris Strečanský (Centre for Philanthropy),
• Filip Vagač (Partners For Democratic Change Slovakia),
• Karolína Miková (Partners For Democratic Change Slovakia),
• Peter Medveď (Ekopolis Foundation).

Also joined by:

• Peter Handiak (lawyer, creator of the allocation mechanism in Slovakia)
• Voice of Civil Society Organisations Platform
• Executive Committee: Michal Kišša (Pontis Foundation), Ivana Kohutková (VIA IURIS), Róbert Pakan (NOMANTINELS), Sandra Polovková (Post Bellum), Martina Strmeňová (Community Organising Centre), Lenka Polomská Rišková (Centre for Philanthropy). The Voice of Civil Society Organisations Platform associates 51 non-governmental non-profit organisations.