DUSHANBE, December 25, 2008, Asia-Plus — IFC (International Finance Corporation), a member of the World Bank Group, and the Tax Committee under the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan with the support of SECO and DFID began broadcasting 2 social advertisements on the national television channel.
According to press release issued by the IFC Dushanbe Office today, the aim of the campaign is to raise entrepreneurs’ awareness about the new PATENT, which has been implemented since July 2008 after including necessary changes into the Tax Code of RT. The new PATENT combines income tax, social tax and retail sale tax into one fixed payment.
“The implementation of the PATENT is only half the battle on the way toward improvement of the business environment and simplification of the taxation system. Information campaign on television is a powerful means, which helps raise the awareness of a wide range of entrepreneurs on the new patent”, – said Khurshed Qosimov, the head of department for relations with entrepreneurs of the Tax Committee under the Government of RT.
IFC together with the Tax Committee prepared three social video spots, and two radio broadcastings, explaining the main rules of receiving a PATENT, as well as its advantages. Tax Committee under the Government of RT directly participated in all preparation stages and launching of the social video spot.
According to Wendy Werner, IFC Country Officer and Business Enabling Environment Project Manager in Tajikistan this information campaign is held under the action plan with state agencies. “I hope that the broadcasting of these video spots will help raise the awareness of entrepreneurs on the new PATENT and by this make it easier to for individual entrepreneurs to comply with tax regulations and spend more time instead growing their business. Small and medium entrepreneurship stimulates the growth of investments at the national level and can significantly impact the Tajik economy as a whole.”- she added.
IFC, Business Enabling Environment Project will be working with the Tax Committee on further radio broadcasts about the PATENT and other reforms to help businesses.
Video spots broadcasting through the first channel of the National Television began in November. They are broadcast once a day after news program, and will continue till the end of 2008. Radio spots will also be broadcast through national and independent radio stations of Tajikistan in the nearest future with major message: “New patent helps to save your time and money!”
