Minister ‘in principle’ against tax remissions offered by his party

ANKARA

Şimşek said he would rather prefer an easing of payments instead of an amnesty. AA Photo

Finance Minister Mehmet Şimşek has said he supports an omnibus bill by his party, which include a wide range of tax amnesties, despite the fact that he was personally against such implementations.

The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has submitted a bill that calls for  exemptions and remissions including income tax, VAT, special consumption tax, motor vehicle, environmental, banking and transaction taxes, traffic fines, and several items of fees.

“I have to back this as a lawmaker of the party. But I do not find such implementations positive,” he said, while responding to questions at Parliament’s planning and budget commission, a step before the bill is voted on by the deputies.

“In principle, I think there shouldn’t be such practices,” the minister said.

Harmony in taxes is an important issue, Şimşek said. “There are studies that show that such implementations break the harmony in taxes,” he said, adding that this could also harm the sense of justice in the public.

Still, the fact that the bill brings no remissions to taxes before fines and interest rates was positive, the minister said.

The cancelation of fines corrodes the deterrence of the state, according to the minister.

“Let me speak bluntly,” he said. “Fulfilling your liabilities on time is a necessity required by the law and the state of living together. Those who do not fulfill these and spotted should receive fines.”

Şimşek said he would rather prefer an easing of payments instead of an amnesty.