The Minister Delegate in charge of the Budget, Fouzi Lekjaa, was present at the press conference, held this Tuesday by the government spokesman, Mustapha Baitas, and dedicated to the presentation of the finance bill (PLF) of the year 2023. He stopped on several points, in particular the increase in wages in several sectors, concluded during the social agreement of April 30, or on the Income Tax (IR) recently reformed.
The Executive has mobilized 9.188 billion dirhams to improve the salaries of employees in several sectors and reform the Income Tax (IR), Lekjaa said.
In these 9.188 billion dirhams mobilized by the government, 2 billion dirhams were allocated to the reform of the IR, while 6.788 billion dirhams are dedicated to improving the income of doctors, higher education teachers as well as some decisions taken in the national education sector.
In this sense, Fouzi Lekjaâ made a point of specifying that in the agreement concluded on April 30 with the most representative unions, “ there has never been talk of improving salaries in 2023 in all sectors“, noting that the discussions with the unions focused on “ comprehensive reform“.
Regarding the reform of income tax, the Minister specified that it is a measure taken by the Executive in a proactive manner with a view to guaranteeing tax fairness and its reduction has never been linked to the general wage increase.
” The various measures taken by the government will benefit 26% of civil servants, pending the settlement, in the coming days, of the situation of the National Education sector, this rate will reach 75%.“said the Minister.
Still with regard to income tax, the Minister specified that 67% of employees do not pay income tax, and only 33% pay this tax.
“When we talk about the reform of the IR, it is a global reform. The fact of mobilizing 2 billion dirhams does not mean an increase in salaries. IR reform has never been linked to salary increases. It is the confusion that exists. If we change all the IR, it will give 300 Dh for each employee. And even if we remove this IR, only two-thirds will benefit from it, 67% will have no increase in income”, explained Lekjaa.
And to add: When we talk about the IR reform, it will only benefit those who pay it, which reform cost 2 billion dirhams, or 8% of IR income“.
Note that the Minister of Economy and Finance, Nadia Fettah, was also present at this press briefing. She shed light on investment, the management of the Mohammed VI Fund and the national financing strategy.