The failure to fulfill the tax collection target over the first nine months of this year has cost Tajikistan’s budget more than 646 million somoni (equivalent to some 63 million U.S. dollars) in lost earnings.
Over the reporting period, tax revenues have amounted some 7.5 billion somoni, which is 7.9 percent fewer than it was originally planned (more than 8.1 billion somoni), according to the Tax Committee under the Government of Tajikistan.
According to the Tax Committee’s press center, tax revenues from large tax payers have amounted to only 53 percent of targets.
Tax Committee attributes the failure to fulfill the tax collection target in January-September this year to the coronavirus pandemic that has resulted in reduction in the volume of services offered by airlines, airports, tourist companies, hotels.
Besides, some enterprises have reportedly found themselves in a difficult financial situation due to the coronavirus crisis.
The tax arrears have reportedly increased in the country due to tax debts of large enterprises.
The Tax Committee notes that the most incorrigible dodger is the Open Joint-Stock Company (OJSC) Sangtudinskaya GES-1, which operates the Sangtuda-1 hydroelectric power plant (HPP). Its tax debts amount to 115.6 million somoni as of October 1, 2020.
Among the incorrigible tax dodgers are also:
OJSC NBO Roghun – 43.2 million somoni;
Tajik Aluminum Company (TALCO) – 22 million somoni;
Tajiktelecom (state-run telecommunications operator) – 18.83 million somoni;
A total tax debt of airports and airlines is 67.6 million somoni.
Tax debts reportedly rose 440 million somoni in nine months to September 31,2020, reaching more than 1 billion somoni.
The draft budget for 2021 projects the tax revenues to stand at 18.8 billion somoni, which is 890 million somoni more than this year’s tax indicators.
