Ukraine's largest online store, rozetka.ua, has paid Hr 5 million in taxes and is now open again, according to rozetka.ua head Vladyslav Chechotkin.
“In April the tax authorities brought charges against us. Since then we’ve sorted it out and acknowledge the charges. As of today, the amount of the taxes has been repaid,” he said at a press conference in Kyiv on Wednesday.
Chechotkin also said that the company would have to pay about UAH 1 million in fines.
However, he did not comment on the details of the violations, yet he said they were connected with different interpretations of the law.
“We have to review the legislation and settle issues related to e-commerce,” he added.
Chechotkin also denied mass media reports that someone wanted to seize his business, although he said that he regularly receives offers to buy his store.
Chechotkin also shared further plans to develop the online store.
“If the [e-commerce] market develops at such a pace, we’ll be able to double or triple our business in the next three years. We have a goal: to become the No. 1 online consumer electronics store in Eastern Europe,” he said.
He also noted that he does not plan to run for parliament, and wants to concentrate on the development of his own business.
As was reported on July 2, 2012, with reference to Ukraine’s State Tax Service in Kyiv, a search was conducted by tax police officers in premises earlier leased by the rozetka.ua online electronics store (Kyiv) in the building at 82, Frunze Street. The premises were sealed after the search.
As reported, tax officers on April 19, 2012, conducted searches in three offices and three warehouses belonging to rozetka.ua. Following the checks, the tax authorities brought an action under Part 3 of Article 212 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine against the director of rozetka.ua LLC, whose major business is e-commerce.
According to tax officers, the company imported commodities at understated prices, which made it possible for it to earn surplus profit, which were brought into the shadows via the accounts of bogus companies. As a result of this, the national budget lost over Hr 7 million.
The rozetka.ua management, in turn, judicially contested the accusation by the tax police of tax evasion amounting to more than Hr 7 million.
