Finance Ministry announces intention to lower personal income tax rates

The Finance Ministry will submit a number of changes to the personal income tax (PIT) law in April of this year in a bid to simplify the tax system and lower current rates, ministry officials announced yesterday. Though it is still uncertain whether the ministry will propose altering existing legislation or introducing totally new regulations, according to unofficial sources, it will seek to lower the PIT thresholds to 18-28% from the current system, which establishes three tax brackets at 19%, 30% and 40%. The ministry shouldn't expect a sure victory, however, as the newly created centrist grouping Civic Platform (OP) is, according to Rzeczpospolita, planning shortly to submit a proposal which would call for an all-inclusive flat rate of 25%. (Rzeczpospolita, p.B2) J.K.