Operation against informality and tax evasion, which has been going on for a week across the country, will be extended not only to economic and commercial activities, but also within the tax administration. At a meeting held today in Vlore with heads of institutions involved in the tax administration, the National Food Authority, the Labor Inspectorate and the Health Inspectorate, Prime Minister Edi Rama urged the tax administration to show maximum commitment, professionalism and integrity for a successful outcome of this operation which, as the Prime Minister noted, is a frontal battle against informality in every aspect.
“This operation comes as a necessity, after a first period where significant steps have been taken in the fight against informality. But, as the long queues of this last period in the NRC show, these steps have been insufficient and have led to this frontal operation across the territory of the Republic of Albania. And, to be totally fair, informality is not a disease out of the system of taxes, customs or other agencies who are here today. It is a disease that has affected for many years even this system, these bodies and, the same as illegal electricity connections, or illegal economic and trade activities, this operation has two sides of the coin. It is a daily effort to uproot the metastasis of this cancer from the network of economic and commercial activities, and from the body inspectors operating in the tax, customs and other agencies.”
The Prime Minister defined this operation an economic revolution which, in addition to formalizing economy, guarantees lawful profits to fair business, and protects consumers. The Prime Minister announced the strengthening of legal measures against those who impede the process.
“This is an economic revolution and you can understand this very well. It is imperative for the state to formalize economy, give everyone what they are due, grant right to lawful profits to anyone who succeeds in economic activities or supports family with a small business, in order to protect them at all costs. Meanwhile, on the other hand, every penny that belongs to citizens in the form of investments, tax cuts and better services will go into the state coffers. Those who don’t comply with us and become an obstacle to this historical process will be punished as provided for by the law in force, and as it will be provided for more clearly and severely after the adoption of this penalties package on informality.”
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Accompanied by the Director General of Taxation Briseida Shehaj, Prime Minister Edi Rama stopped at a supermarket in Vlora. After making purchases, they took the tax receipt and appealed the citizens to consider it as an investment for more support and services provided by the state.
Director Shehaj guaranteed that the tax administration will support customers also during this operation.
“We will be part of the support to customers. We have to protect customers at any cost, so that nobody can steal anything and every penny will go to the state coffers for the benefit of all.” –Shehaj said.
The Prime Minister underlined that by withdrawing the tax receipt, the customer benefits as an individual and as a citizen. In addition, he ensured that the focus of this operation are the selling points as endpoints of a chain on top of which there are the wholesalers.
“Taking the tax receipt and formalizing everyone doesn’t mean abolishing the freedom of small business. The opposite is true, because it is a framework within which we ensure that everyone receives what they are due. As an individual, the customer receives the merchandise, while as a citizen he gets back in the form of investment, in the form of tax cuts, in the form of higher wages, what he/she is due. The point of sale is the end point of the chain on the top of which there are wholesalers, who are the center of gravity of informality as much as they are of this operation.”- the Prime Minister said.
