Life in Kosovo discusses about emergency situations
Tonight, Life in Kosovo will broadcast a debate on the emergency situations in our country.
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Every Thursday starting from 20:30, Radio Television Kosovo, RTK, broadcasts the TV debate show "Life in Kosovo", a joint production of BIRN and RTK.
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Life in Kosovo debates the introduction of fiscal cash registers
22 April 2010 Life in Kosovo broadcast a debate about the government’s announcement that businesses should introduce fiscal cash registers.
Questions covered included: How ready are Kosovo’s citizens and businesses to pay taxes to the state? How is the installation of fiscal cash registers going? How much does the process cost the state?
What are the reactions from businesses and consumers? Who will observe the installations? Does the Tax Administration of Kosovo have the capacity to manage the process? What do the representatives of the company that won the tender for the cash registers say?
To discuss these issues, host Muhamet Hajrullahut was joined in the studio by:
Behxhet Haliti – Head of the Tax Administration of Kosovo
Driton Shuki – General director of GEKOS Company
Lumir Abdixhiku – Executive director of the RIINVEST Institute
Ramiz Kelmendi – Owner of ELKOS company
Shyqiri Bytyqi – Tax advisor
Opening the debate, Mr. Haliti said that the project now entering its implementation stage had been discussed for almost five years has long been discussed by Kosovo’s institutions and business community before being signed into law in 2009.
“We have prepared the implementation stage based on our capacity and capability. Of course we will face initial difficulties and will have to adapt in order to accomplish the task successfully,” before claiming that the introduction of fiscal cash registers will “help accomplish part of the tax administration’s mission to develop equal treatment for all taxpayers by helping us create records and databases of the real payment of taxes by individuals and businesses.”
Mr. Kelmendi was then asked about past statements that the cash registers are too expensive, even though he is not against their introduction.
He replied that “fiscal cash registers present an economic emancipation for the country.
We, the business community, and I, as the owner of a company, are in favour of the introduction of the fiscal cash registers…We also ask for other business to join the programme in order for the market to be equal and for everyone to pay their obligations to our state.”
“ However,” he continued, “the problem is that these fiscal cash registers are expensive. We have asked the government to remove VAT and import costs, and both can be subsidised.”
Mr.Kelmendi concluded by complaining that the cash registers would cost his company, ELKOS, around 300,000 euros.
Driton Shuku, director of GEKOS , the company that won the tender for implementing the fiscal cash register project was asked about their price.
He said: “We don’t think the prices are high – we have based them on regional standards, and we do have the cheapest products. There are some cases when they are 10% more expensive, but import tax and VAT is the reason for this.”
Mr. Haliti said that, at the time, two operators had been licensed and that “the Ministry of Finance have been doing every necessary for this project to progress well.”. Commenting on the price, he said “with the information I have, I believe this is the price throughout the region.”
Asked for his thoughts, Mr. Abdixhiku said: “The need for cash registers is evident. They are one of the elements that fight informality. It has taken three years to arrive where we are today, and there have been issues.
The first is the law. We are the only country in the region that doesn’t have a law on fiscal cash registers. [Kosovo’s political bodies] have failed in this regard… Also the human factor is the one that will fight informality, which includes the owners of businesses… the number of inspectors needs to be raised.
We have fewer inspectors than the rest of Europe, and those we have are paid less than those in the rest of Europe.”
Mr. Bytyqi continued the discussion by saying that it would be good if there were a plan for fiscal administration including specific steps for its development.
Mr. Haliti said: “The success of the tax administration’s pledge is in the interest of all of Kosovo. Therefore, [the administration] can’t do this alone. We need to collaborate with consumers.”
He continued by saying that work has been going well due to the tax administration's efforts to tackle tax evasion: “The first phase is to find evidence of evasion and to upgrade fiscal registers, the second phase is dealing with goods with no origin. We have signed a memorandum with EULEX and Kosovo’s police force.”
Mr. Abdixhiku mentioned two issues. First, that the collection of taxes begins with the contribution and will of citizens, and that the voluntary contributions from Kosovo’s citizens is extremely low. Secondly, that if there is no willingness, there should be a strong law to enforce the payment of taxes. However, he claimed, the law is weak because there are few inspectors. “I do not doubt the commitment of the tax administration,” he said. “But I do doubt its capacity.”
Asked whether the tax administration have the necessary human capacity to implement the project, Mr. Haliti said “[we have] appointed a contact person in each region who is undergoing training…The action plan for 2010 has been designed in a way to ensure the successful roll-out of the programme. We will start first with the large- and medium-sized businesses with up to 2,500 staff.”
Further to this, Mr. Shuki reassured the panel that there will be no technical problems, as GEKOS will be always available for a rapid response if any cash registers break.
Both men involved in the project said that the greatest challenges they expect to face are limited human resources, the capacity and willingness of citizens to improve their knowledge of, and compliance with, fiscal laws. Another potential weak point mentioned by another panellist was the opportunity for corruption within the tax administration.
On the same topic of challenges, Mr. Abdixhiku said that “there is no legal space to adjust the issues of fiscal cash registers. The third and most important economic agent involved in this project – the consumer – is not considered…Also, without financial police, you can forget about removing informality.”
Haracija’s Reportage
During the programme, a report by Artan Haracija about the recent government reshuffle was shown.
Asked if the reshuffle was inspired by corruption, EU Special Representative and International Civilian Representative in Kosovo Pieter Feith said that that would be a question for Prime Minister Hashim Thaci to answer. However, “but if there are indications that this is linked to corruption then the traditional response is called for.”
US ambassador Simon Dell, on the other hand, said that the recent reformation was indeed because of corruption. However, Mr. Thaci said that it was “a decision to affirm the governing values of increasing efficiency, and to open the chapter of deeper European integration.”
Justice in Kosovo
In the Justice in Kosovo section, Isa Gacaferi discussed the discussions over a possible pay rise for judges in January 2011 as part of proposed legislation.
Edona Musa reportage
Edona Musa spoke about how Prishtina municipality has been failing to respect the decisions of its municipal court.
The reportage on the list of corrupted officials
Faton Ademi spoke about the list of officials suspected of corruption, which was released by either Kosovo’s anti-corruption agency, the prosecution or the police.
Week’s Highlight
For the Week’s Highlight, Petrit Collaku reported on Days of Pride, an event organised in memory of Prishtina citizens who died in the war.
Life in Kosovo is a co-production between Kosovo Public Television, RTK and the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network, BIRN. It is broadcast every Thursday, starting at 20:20
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The opinions expressed in Balkan Insight are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network.
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