Producers of alcohol and cigarettes could pay costs of printing excise bands

The Ministry of Finance wants producers and importers of alcohol and cigarettes to pay for printing the excise bands that seal bottles and packs, including a proposal to that effect in the draft budget for 2001. The Ministry intends to push at least 80% of the cost to producers, amounting to zl.120 million budget savings. However, the idea has met with strong opposition. According to Jan Wierzbicki from tobacco company Reemtsma Polska, passing this act to the Sejm in an urgent fashion for approval is unconstitutional. There are also concerns about the lack of an upper limit for the payments, leaving too much room for the government to overcharge for producing the bands. Adam Wojtas from the Ministry replies that the Constitution applies only to changes in taxes and not to participation in the costs of collecting them. The project's fate in the Sejm is uncertain. Public Finance Committee member Marek Wagner says the deputies might want to approve it to avoid being accused of being influenced by lobbying. (Gazeta Wyborcza, p.23) M.K.