Austere leader lauds Dominicans on ‘such low taxes’

Santo Domingo.- Uruguay former president Jose(Pepe) Mujica on Monday said he was impressed by the way Dominican Republic’s DaniloMedina governs "with such low taxes."

"All countries in Central America have avery low tax burden. I don’t know what they do to live with such low taxes."

Whenreporters in the National Palace asked him about the country’s allocating 4% ofGDP for Education, Mujica also praised the Dominican leader. "With theserevenues, bravo!"

"We’re always impressed with theScandinavian system," he said, citing Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland."Those countries are in the area of a 50% tax. "Extremely high and returnsto society as social assets that temper the inequalities."

"Central America’s are just as lowespecially since rich people don’t pay tax into the system. They pay verylittle. "They always find a way to escape. It’s difficult for the state todeal with the costs of education, health and everything else."