New dispute over air passenger tax – OBI Online

In an article in Dagbladet writes Liberal finance policy spokesman and deputy Terje Breivik that Progress directly and indirectly contribute to maintaining myths about the fee.

He denies that it was put in place one late hour, argues that the simply is not particular to Norway, saying the tax has a different device than the Left suggested.

– the truth is that the model came from the government because FRP did not want higher taxes on fossil fuels. Then we must also expect that the model of government is thoughtful and quality assured, says Breivik said.

– Must take responsibility

Liberal deputy leader believes Progress resistance to other taxes are the real reason the air passenger tax introduced from 1 April.

– I have a high threshold to refer from what is happening around the negotiating table, but when representatives from FRP, both past and present leaders, paints a picture which at best is oversimplified, I have a need to correct, says Breivik told Dagbladet.

He believes FRP must take their share of responsibility for the tax, which has led to popular outrage, particularly in Oslo, where controversial budget airline Ryanair uses the tax as a reason for cutting out flights from Moss Airport Rygge.

Turns back

Progress Party finance spokesperson Hans Andreas Limi admits facing NTB that it was out of the question to go in for increased fuel taxes.

– People are not running a car because they have the desire, but because they must. Higher taxes will only make it more expensive for people to drive, traffic will not go down. Then charges in that case doubles – which is completely left out for us, he said.

Limi stressed that he stands in for the budget agreement, adding that the government will follow up the decision and thus ensure that the air passenger tax introduced . But ownership of the fee he feels not.

– It is reasonable that the Liberals standing up and taking responsibility for the party got into the budget agreement. Government parties would have liked to have been a fee without. It stood not on our list, but stood on the Liberal Party, he said.

– Not applicable

Liberals proposed model for air passenger tax is identical to the German, asserts Breivik. But the Ministry of Finance put his foot down.

– Left had an air passenger tax with a different device in its alternative budget, but it would have to be notified to the ESA, and one could not budget for it from 2016, says Siv Jensen Undersecretary Jorgen Næsje (FRP) to Dagbladet.

21. February marked the consultation deadline for the disputed tax. So far the most that have commented, that the proposal is weak examined. Among other things, the state-owned Avinor and the Competition Authority stated that the tax may have distortive effects.

© NTB