TIRANA – “We are at war, so do not bring taxes with fines and interest on arrears to us,” the well-known businessman Nikollaq Neranxi as said in a TV talk show with the participation of some heads of business association focusing on the economic package launched by the government as well as the expected fiscal amnesty proposed by the government head, Edi Rama.
For the entrepreneur, Neranxi, who is also Head of the Association for the Protection of Albania’s Trade and Market, the situation is not good and hopeful, and he was particularly worried by the fact that big business has been forgotten by the government in its latest package.
“The big business has been forgotten and there is only talk of small business. But if big business doesn’t provide supplies small business doesn’t open shutters. On March 10, Prime Minister Edi Rama said ‘we are at war’, so the state became non-existent, while he told us to enter the houses,” said Neranxi whose businesses include the Culinary Institute where students from Albania, Kosovo and Macedonia graduate in different fields of culinary.
During the debate which sometimes got heated Neranxi showed documents issued by the Tax Office which contained evidence of fines and interest-delays imposed on businesses unfairly. “Everything has been closed by order of the government,” he said.
“February taxes are paid on March 14, but on March 10 we were locked up at home. The same is true of health insurances. How could we, or other businesses, pay for them?” Neranxi said in his argument.
But Luan Bregasi, the head of the Business Albania Association, a pro-government business organization, said that there have been businesses that have gained during these days of coronavirus pandemic, ignoring the fair arguments raised by Neranxi on fines and interest on arrears in the period of quarantining business and consumers. “I say that there are businesses that have earned during this period, as they have been open,” said Bregasi.
But in his right of reply Mr. Neranxi reminded the public opinion that Albania is a country which is at war as declared by the PM, Edi Rama. ”We are at war. Only the foodstuffs have remained open. They have just worked and it cannot be said they have earned,” Neranxi said.
A few days after the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic on March 9 this year PM Rama told Albanians in an emotional appeal that Albania is at war warning that the country was alone in this fight against an invisible enemy.
The businessman, Neranxi brought arguments that the businesses had not earned, hence they should not pay taxes as claimed by the government financial support packages. “As the state is inexistent why we are told by the tax department to pay obligations,” he asked bluntly.
Another issue of friction during the debate in the panel was the fiscal amnesty unveiled by the Rama government lately which would legalize the illegal wealth of Albanians in and outside the country. Proposed by him Prime Minister Edi Rama claimed a few days ago that this amnesty would give Albanians the opportunity to legalize their income, declaring what they have yet to declare and putting their money in Albanian banks.
But, according to Neranxi, who opposed the amnesty, that undertaking means money laundering of the organized crime. According to estimations, informal economy equals 50% of Albania’s GDP.
“I am against this amnesty for two reasons. Firstly, because it legalizes the money laundering of the organized crime. So the drug dealers will open their businesses hitting us – the honest businesses,” he said. The other reason, according to him, has to with the taxation. “They will pay 3%, then 5% and 7%, while we pay 15%.,” he said, warning that such a thing would bring about the ruining of the honest business. “This government has done nothing but has laundered the money of crime,” said Neranxi.
The Head of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Nikolin Jaka, part of the panel, expressed himself in favor of this fiscal pardon proposed by the government head. “I am in favor of the amnesty because the Albanian economy needs that money generated by the amnesty,” said Jaka.
But the Professor of Economic, Selami Xhepa came out against the fiscal amnesty proposed by premier Rama presenting his arguments. But, according to him, his main objection to such a fiscal measure is linked with the timing. “The time of the pandemic crisis is not suitable to make such an amnesty,” said the professor./argumentum.al
