DUSHANBE, November 3 2009, Asia-Plus — Parliamentarians representing the Communist Party (CPT) in the Majlisi Namoyandagon (Tajikistan’s lower chamber of parliament) considered that the draft law on the national budget for 2001.
Speaking in an interview with Asia-Plus, MP Shodil Shabdolov, who is the leader of the CPT, said that the government had not taken into consideration all existing reserves to replenish the revenue part of the budget.
“For example, only one percent from alcohol and tobacco sales is transferred to the budget, which is the miserable figure,” said Shabdolov, “In the Soviet time, incomes from sale of these products had accounted for some 44 percent of budget’s revenues.”
According to him, the drawers have chosen the easiest way. “They have not wanted to burden themselves with seeking new sources of incomes to replenish the country’s budget, while various shops, restaurants and bars selling alcohol drinks and tobacco are all over the place,” said MP, “Incomes from dwelling hire could also be another source for replenishment of the budget. It is not secret that persons hiring out their dwellings have huge incomes but they pay miserable taxes to the budget.”
“In the Soviet time, farmers were exempted from paying all types of taxes in the winter period because they do not realize profit during this period, while in the sovereign Tajikistan, farmers pay taxes all the year round meanwhile we want to develop the agrarian sector and provide food security,” the CPT leader said.
