DUSHANBE, March 15, 2010, Asia-Plus  -- Speculations that tax rates are allegedly too high and taxes are burdensome in Tajikistan are the result of one-way approach to Tajikistan’s tax code, Ayubjon Soliyev, the first deputy head of the Tax Committee of Tajikistan, said.

“I would ask local entrepreneurs to think, first of all, about development of economy of our country,” noted Soliyev, “The country’s wellbeing depends on how we will pay taxes.”

Compared to some other countries, tax rates in Tajikistan are not so high, he added.  “Recently, we visited Great Britain to familiarize ourselves with work of our British colleagues,” stressed Soliyev,  “Thus, the income tax rate there is 45 to 50 percent.”

Nourali Shukurov, the Country Manager of the USAID Business Environment Improvement (BEI) Project in Tajikistan, considers that the tax collection issue requires a complex approach.  “Central government revenues come primarily from taxes and unfounded reduction in tax rates will inevitably affect budget replenishment,” said Shukurov, “Social spending is a large item of the budget, and therefore, this issue must be considered thoroughly.”

In the meantime, many local entrepreneurs and international experts consider that Tajikistan’s tax collection system requires serious reforms.  We will recall that altogether, Tajikistan’s tax code now provides for paying 21 types of taxes.