"Do not listen to what the head of European Commission Representation in Latvia [Inna Šteinbuka] tells you. The reform reduces inequality, lowering people's taxes and making the economy work better," said Rimšēvičs.
On May 25 Šteinbuka told Latvian Radio that there's a risk that the upcoming tax reform will not reduce inequality.
"One of the risks we see is that the proposed reform will not reduce inequality. We suspect it will even increase it," said Šteinbuka.
Rimšēvičs also used the interview to say that the social packet within the tax reform might have to be reviewed in the fall as it includes measures that might put too large a strain on the Latvian budget.
On May 24 Prime Minister Maris Kucinskis issued a strongly-worded response to the European Commission's representative office in Riga over its criticism of the planned tax reform.
