Armenian tax authorities recover 1.6 billion drams of unpaid taxes
07.08.2020,
18:10
Armenia's tax authorities recovered as much as 1.64 billion drams of unpaid taxes in the first seven months of 2020, Vahan Charkhifalakyan, head of the Investigative Department of the State Revenue Committee (SRC), told an online news conference today.
YEREVAN, August 7. /ARKA/. Armenia's tax authorities recovered as much as 1.64 billion drams of unpaid taxes in the first seven months of 2020, Vahan Charkhifalakyan, head of the Investigative Department of the State Revenue Committee (SRC), told an online news conference today.
He said this figure was up from 1.41 billion drams that had been recovered in the same time span of 2019.
He said also that in 7 months of 2020, some 285 criminal cases were initiated by the State Revenue Committee with the amount of damage estimated at 13.7 billion drams.
He said 143 cases were about tax evasion, 36 cases were about forged or deliberately incorrect documentation of insolvency, 14 criminal cases were about illegal business activity and 93 criminal cases involved drug smuggling.
"Despite the high number of violations, many taxpayers preferred to correct the turnover figures and paid the avoided taxes. Prompted by the coronavirus, the SRC has developed new mechanisms to identify cases of tax evasion or fake insolvency statements and to ensure healthy competition," Charkhifalakyan said.
According to him, the SRC is also actively checking the reliability of data on prices for goods imported from the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) member states.
He said the SRC receives information that individual entrepreneurs and companies involve socially disadvantaged citizens to register them as private entrepreneurs or trade organization to avoid paying taxes.
After registration, their names are used to import foods and other essential goods as under the EEU legislation, they do not have to submit tax returns.
"We have numerous facts and research, criminal cases are being initiated, the circle of involved persons and organizers is known, and we urge citizens to refrain from illegal activities urging them not take this step, since it is punishable by law," Charkhifalakyan said.
He also said that the SRC brought to the net a hidden turnover worth some 2.5 billion drams. 'We have reports that not all employers register their workers avoiding this way mandatory payment to the budget.
"Often, to identify such cases, we cooperate with former employees who can provide reliable data on salaries and incomes and are not restrained by obligations to the employer. In this regard, we urge taxpayers to be more transparent and not hide official data," Charkhifalakyan said. ($1 - 485 AMD) -0-
He said this figure was up from 1.41 billion drams that had been recovered in the same time span of 2019.
He said also that in 7 months of 2020, some 285 criminal cases were initiated by the State Revenue Committee with the amount of damage estimated at 13.7 billion drams.
He said 143 cases were about tax evasion, 36 cases were about forged or deliberately incorrect documentation of insolvency, 14 criminal cases were about illegal business activity and 93 criminal cases involved drug smuggling.
"Despite the high number of violations, many taxpayers preferred to correct the turnover figures and paid the avoided taxes. Prompted by the coronavirus, the SRC has developed new mechanisms to identify cases of tax evasion or fake insolvency statements and to ensure healthy competition," Charkhifalakyan said.
According to him, the SRC is also actively checking the reliability of data on prices for goods imported from the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) member states.
He said the SRC receives information that individual entrepreneurs and companies involve socially disadvantaged citizens to register them as private entrepreneurs or trade organization to avoid paying taxes.
After registration, their names are used to import foods and other essential goods as under the EEU legislation, they do not have to submit tax returns.
"We have numerous facts and research, criminal cases are being initiated, the circle of involved persons and organizers is known, and we urge citizens to refrain from illegal activities urging them not take this step, since it is punishable by law," Charkhifalakyan said.
He also said that the SRC brought to the net a hidden turnover worth some 2.5 billion drams. 'We have reports that not all employers register their workers avoiding this way mandatory payment to the budget.
"Often, to identify such cases, we cooperate with former employees who can provide reliable data on salaries and incomes and are not restrained by obligations to the employer. In this regard, we urge taxpayers to be more transparent and not hide official data," Charkhifalakyan said. ($1 - 485 AMD) -0-
