Giving Finance, Taxes, and Customs Into the Same Hands
President Leonid Kuchma expects the new head of the State Tax Administration to use all his professional experience in order to perform the tasks the STAU has been entrusted with. On December 10, while representing the newly appointed chief of the STAU in the State Tax Administration, Leonid Kuchma called upon the tax service to perform its main task — i.e. “to defend economic interests of the country.” “Be ready for that, and I will be ready to offer you my shoulder if necessary,” emphasized the President.
The head of state called combining efforts of the Ministry of Finance, State Tax Administration, and State Customs Service under the patronage of Mykola Azarov, first prime minister and head of the Ministry of Finance, a step needed to defend the country’s economic interests, reports Interfax-Ukraine. Leonid Kuchma also said he hoped the economic union of the government and STAU would participate in developing legislative background that “would let economy work.” “You know there is a lot of holes in the legislation, and I tend to think they have been made on purpose,” — said the President. He noted that he would like Mykola Azarov and STAU head Yury Kravchenko along with the deputies to take measures for “filling the gaps.” Leonid Kuchma also spoke in favor of complete revision of the draft Tax Code that is currently being considered by the parliament. According to him, the neighboring countries’ experience is to be taken into account when further amending the draft Tax Code. Which is, according to Leonid Kuchma, the task of the government’s economic block. “You have all the instruments, so come on. And since all the instruments are yours, so is responsibility,” — he said.
In the President’s opinion, the bill on money laundering is to provide the tax service with additional instruments for fighting the shadow economy. Addressing the State Tax Administration’s leaders, Leonid Kuchma emphasized, “I hope the bill on money laundering will provide us with the instruments to bring pressure to bear on our life’s negative sides.” Besides, Leonid Kuchma called upon them to return money from offshore zones into the country. “Let us bring money back from offshore zones,” said the head of state and added, “You (the STAU — Ed.) have got instruments for those who do not understand it. You have more than enough of those means.” Last Tuesday the President signed the bill On Preventing and Fighting Money Laundcring.
At the ceremony of representation of the State Tax Administration’s new head, Mykola Azarov, former head of the department and current first Vice Prime Minister of Finance, also shared his opinion on the tasks and working schemes of the Tax Administration. He believes that at the present stage the taxation system in Ukraine should shift from “exceptionally punitive” functions to supporting the domestic economy. Mykola Azarov claimed the taxation system’s functions change would contribute to reorganization of the tax service that they plan to carry out under financial support of the World Bank. The first Vice Premier noted that efforts should be made so that the bill on the 2004 budget could be “made into page on a new taxation basis.” According to him, “we need an incentive” to develop small and middle business in the country, which requires deregulation and support of the latter. Passing feasible budget for the next year that would allow reducing taxation pressure on business Mykola Azarov called another task for the economic bloc of the government and STAU. The first Vice Prime Minister believes it to be appropriate that Yury Kravchenko was appointed chief of the STAU on the initial stage of the tax service reorganization. ‘He will be able to head the service and ensure its further functioning’, noted Mykola Azarov.
