PARIVODIĆ: We are ready to equalize excise taxes on domestic and imported cigarettes

- Serbia is ready to equalize excise taxes on domestic and imported cigarettes because, besides it represents the stumbling block for the signing of the CEFTA agreement, such excise policy is not in accordance with the rules of the World Trade Organization. The fact is, also, that Serbia applies the lowest customs rate of 15% in Europe, so that it will soon be raised to a higher level - said Milan Parivodić, the Minister of International EConomic Relations.

Commenting on the request of Croatia that Serbia treats imported and domestic cigarettes in the same way, Parivodić said that the cigarette market in Croatia had the highest protection and that the argument for that was the information that Tobacco Factory Rovinj covered more than 90% of that market.