Statement by the YABLOKO party, 07.11.2014

The YABLOKO party expresses its protest in connection with introduction of a new tax imposed on small businesses.

The plan to introduce a new tax was announced several weeks ago but the amount of the tax was announced only yesterday and turned out to be enormous.

The new tax envisages that an owner of a kiosk will have to pay 2,4 million rubles ( approx. 42 097,9 euro) per year, 1,2 million rubles (approx. 21 049,0 euro) per a shoe repair shop, 1,2 million rubles per paid toilets, 240,000 rubles ( 4 209,79 euro) for a veterinary hospital with one employee, and 240,000 rubles for a taxi company per one car and so on.

Such rates are absolutely unrealistic not only for Russia’s regions but for Moscow too. However, even these rates can be increased by ten times by the decision of a local self-government body.

The new tax is adopted without any public discussion by way of making amendments to the bill which has already passed the first reading. The amendments haven’t been officially published yet.

The statement made by Minister for Finance Anton Siluanov that calculations on revenue from the new tax were made only for Moscow (quotation from the Interfax agency) causes bewilderment.

The YABLOKO party demands from the State Duma Budget Committee to withdraw the unprofessional amendments and conduct a public discussion on taxation on small businesses.