A tax inspector in the city of Vakhdat was detained while taking a bribe from an entrepreneur. It was reported by the Agency for State Financial Control and the Fight against Corruption of Tajikistan.
“Citizen A applied to the Agency with a statement about taking legal measures against the leading specialist of the tax inspection department in the city of Vakhdat, Jamshed Gafforov, who demanded 10,000 somoni ($800) from the entrepreneur as a bribe for a positive solution to the issue of closing his patent. Having received half of the amount, he demanded to bring the remaining 5,000 somoni,” the Agency notes.
During the operational-search activities, Gafforov was detained in his office at the time of receiving 5,000 somoni; the material evidence was confiscated.
A criminal case has been initiated against Gafforov under part 1 of article 319 of the Criminal Code of Tajikistan (“Taking a bribe”). The investigation is underway.
According to official data, since the beginning of 2022, 7.5 thousand entrepreneurs have ceased their activities in the country, and in 2021 there were more than 20 thousand entrepreneurs. Experts point to the main reasons for curtailing business activities – unreasonable and excessive inspections by state bodies, high tax rates and the lack of healthy competition in the market.
At the end of April, the country’s law “On a moratorium on inspections of the activities of business entities” came into force. It was adopted on the basis of the presidential decree on a moratorium on all types of inspections for businesses until January 1, 2023.
But some entrepreneurs complain that the inspections haven’t stopped, but have acquired a veiled appearance, and inspection bodies still come to them. Even despite the fact that businessmen have printed and pasted on the doors of their stores, sales outlets and offices a copy of the presidential decree on the moratorium.
