By Months: Kadri Tali

The speaker views culture and sports as a strong value-adding economic sector that must become independent and self-sustaining. He advocates attracting private sector funding and the state leveraging corporate donations to achieve economic growth and export potential. He defends the use of the gambling tax for funding culture, viewing this as striking a balance between taxing vices and creating added value.

The economic perspectives center on reducing the administrative burden associated with organizing sports events, making it possible to apply for a seasonal license valid for up to one year. The proposal by the Estonian Olympic Committee to amend the Income Tax Act was also discussed, aiming to allow sports club participation fees to be treated as training expenses and deductible from income tax returns. However, attention was drawn to the lack of legal clarity surrounding this specific amendment.

Our economic perspectives are geared towards growth, highlighting culture and sport as value-adding economic sectors whose direct contribution to the economy can be demonstrated. We support the involvement of the private sector and the use of a state mechanism to leverage corporate donations, seeking new funding models that prioritize development over mere survival. Furthermore, there is a recognized need to review the design of the gambling tax.

Economic views are focused on growth and fiscal ingenuity, recognizing the limited state of public funds. There is robust support for leveraging the potential of private sector involvement to build culture and sport into a strong economic sector that generates added value. It is believed that smart tax design could generate 50 times more tax revenue over a ten-year horizon.