"We expect the bill on the personal tax number to be sent to parliament by June, and we will see to it that it is applied as of 1 January 2008," said Suker, who met with the World Bank's regional director for Croatia, Bulgaria and Romania, Anand K. Seth, to sign an agreement on advance for a loan which will be used to finance preparations for a project aimed at modernising the tax authority.
The advance, amounting to USD750,000, will be used to prepare basic activities within the project of modernisation.
The project amounts to USD84 million - 50 million will be ensured by the World Bank in the form of loan, and 34 million will be provided from Croatia's budget.
The purpose of the project is to make the tax authority more efficient, more transparent and more responsible, Seth said.
Suker said that the project consisted of three components. The first one concerns the construction of business infrastructure, the second the establishment of a centre for staff training, and the third the modernisation of the information system with emphasis on the introduction of the personal tax number.
This financial identification number would be given to companies and trades, as well as all citizens who would get it with birth.
Seth said that the introduction of the personal tax number would serve as a basis for the mechanism of property census that would serve to improve social benefits and make their distribution more efficient.
Suker added that the purpose of the project was not to reduce benefits, but distribute them more fairly.