Santo Domingo.- The president Luis Abinader will request the National Congress to immediately withdraw the Fiscal Modernization Bill, which sought to aggravate the various sectors of society with taxes.
The president stated tonight in a brief speech to the nation that he is a ruler who listens to the feelings of the people and that when he has to rectify he does so with humility.
The head of state stated that he has always been faithful to the principle that in a democracy you can achieve everything with the people, but nothing against the people, which is why he proceeded to request the immediate withdrawal of the Fiscal Modernization Bill from the agenda. of the National Congress.
The president acknowledged that the proposed Fiscal Modernization Law does not have the necessary consensus to be approved.
«A true democratic government is not afraid to amend its decisions when it listens to the people. Because listening is a sign of strength. And I am a President who listens. “I am not isolated, I do not live in a bubble,” he expressed.
He added: «I read the newspapers, listen to the radio, watch television, I meet with all sectors, I review social networks, I tour the country; and in addition to being President, I am a citizen, son, brother, husband, father, friend, someone who like you can listen to the collective rhythm of dissent.”
The president explained that this action will involve adjusting the scope of the development plans he had proposed and building acceptable alternatives to achieve the Dominican Republic we want.
He assured that with the decision, the government confirms that it is connected to the reality of its people, acts responsibly and, above all, with sensitivity, and always seeking the well-being of the majority.
«I am convinced that our democracy must be a constant dialogue, a conversation in which each voice counts and each opinion has its weight. “Democracy is not, nor should it be, a monologue or a practice every four years,” he said.
He insisted that democracy must be the permanent exchange between the people and their rulers. «In this sense, our practice has always been consistent: propose, listen and, if necessary, rectify. Correcting is recognizing that decisions – even if they are well-intentioned – must be changed when they do not respond to people’s possibilities and expectations.
President Abinader said that he fulfilled his responsibility by presenting the country with a comprehensive plan for structural changes that includes the approval of a Fiscal Responsibility Law, which for the first time in history sets a medium-term debt target and a ceiling on government spending. Government.
A proposal, he added, for the merger and elimination of ministries, directorates and institutions that will represent significant savings and greater efficiency in public management, which we shared three weeks ago; and now, it would be completed with the approval of a Fiscal Modernization Law, but this last initiative, as has been observed, did not receive citizen support.
The head of state expressed that this message addressed to the Dominican people goes beyond figures, laws and technicalities; rather it is a message of sincerity, humility and, above all, commitment. Honest, as he has always believed, every act of public service should be
He reaffirmed his conviction that transparency and truth are the pillars on which the future must be built.
He reiterated that the proposal for the Fiscal Modernization Law that the government’s economic team presented to Congress, for debate and consensus, did not arise from improvisation or a personal whim, but from the deepest sense of responsibility towards the country.
He considered this to be a crucial moment, and said that he has taken on this challenge with the conviction that action must be taken now to guarantee the well-being of the generations to come.
«This obligation that others evaded to protect their political popularity, we assume with responsibility and courage to guarantee the sustainability of the Dominican economy. We did so convinced of the need for a structural change that would reduce dependence on external debt and increase our capacity to finance solutions to your security, drinking water, electricity, health and transportation problems; and to eliminate distortions and privileges,” said the ruler.
He explained that it will not be easy to solve each of these problems if the Dominican Republic continues to be one of the countries with the lowest tax collection and one of the lowest public expenditures in Latin America.
You can read: Circe Almánzar: We need an effective dialogue to stop tax evasion
President Abinader concluded his speech by reaffirming that as always, he will continue to work alongside the Dominican people, so that the Dominican Republic continues to advance with justice, equity and prosperity for all.
a note
The axes of the project
The tax reform project submitted by the Executive Branch to the National Congress contemplates 4 axes: Social protection, Public investment program and prioritized expenses, Equal rules for all and prosecution of tax evasion, and Modernization of the tax system.
You can read: LIVE: Speech by President Luis Abinader
The piece contemplated that the Tax on the Transfer of Industrialized Goods and Services (ITBIS) would henceforth be called Value Added Tax (VAT), according to the proposal.
In the “Fiscal Modernization”, the name change of the ITBIS is proposed, which means “Tax on the Transfer of Industrialized Goods and Services. The change aligns with the terminology used in most countries.
