DUSHANBE, April 23, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- Tax officers have failed to fulfill the tax collection target for the first quarter of this year due to the financial crisis, the Tax Committee head Nusratullo Davlatov announced at a news conference in Dushanbe on April 23.

According to him, tax officers have collected 477 million somoni over the report period, which is 98 percent of the target that has been determined at 486 million somoni.

Reduction in the rate of the collection of taxes has resulted from decrease in the amount of taxes paid by large taxpayers, Davlatov said.  “Thus, Tajik Aluminum Company (Talco) alone was supposed to pay 34 million somoni in taxes in January-March this year; however, the company that has been significantly affected by the crisis has paid only 19 million somoni.”

Barqi Tojik power holding has paid only 6 million somoni in taxes over the report period instated of the originally planned 31 million somoni, Davlatov said.

Reminding that in his annual address to parliament, President Rahmon charged the government to reduce VAT from 20 to 18 percent and the income tax from 25 to 15 percent, the tax committee chief noted that this year’s tax collection target should also be reduced.