The first Deputy Prime Minister and Economy Minister, Radimir Cacic, said on Saturday that over a year ago the Croatian Energy Regulatory Agency (HERA) gave its consent for a power price increase due to a series of economic reasons, including the increase of the prices of oil and gas which significantly influenced and were key elements in the price of power production.
A study for gas has been drawn up as well, Cacic said adding it was inevitable for the power price to go up.
He, however, stressed it was necessary to take into account social categories.
Asked to comment on the announcement by Finance Minister Slavko Linic concerning a possibility to charge Value Added Tax to companies only after they get paid, Caic said this was an old idea, but also a very demanding one.
"I think we will be careful with that," he added.
Asked about the situation in the Dioki company, whose workers are protesting, Cacic reiterated Dioki was a privately-owned company and that the government could not intervene.
