Latvia, Real Estate, Taxation

The workgroup is expected to come up with a solution to the excessively high property tax payments in 2018 and 2019, assessing also some local authorities' role in charging disproportional taxes on residents' properties, Justice Minister Dzintars Rasnacs (National Alliance) told journalists after the coalition meeting today.

The workgroup will be chaired by Saeima member Vilnis Kirsis of Unity party, with each coalition delegating its representatives to the panel.

This Tuesday, April 11, the government is due to review a report of the Finance Ministry's workgroup on medium-term tasks, including the Justice Ministry's progress on drafting legislation that would put a freeze on properties' cadastral value until 2020, the justice minister said.

Saeima is expected to pass the draft legislation by the Midsummer Festival, the politician said.

As reported, the Cabinet of Ministers' committee has not supported a proposal to lift property tax on residential property if the given apartment or private home is the person's only home, and instead proposed reducing the proportion of the property's cadastral value on the total amount of property tax applicable.