Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said he urged the speeding up of working-out of tax reform and ordered Dmytro Shymkiv, deputy administration head, secretary of the National Reform Council, to submit this issue for consideration during the next meeting of the National Reform Council.
“Yes, we need more income. But this river will dry up quickly, if we do not use reform to stimulate free business and economic development in accordance with the economic liberalization strategy. Reform should not end up increasing the tax burden on the economy, increasing tax pressure,” the presidential press office quoted Poroshenko as saying at a National Reform Council meeting in Kyiv on Thursday.
At the same time, Poroshenko said he was ready to support one aspect concerning luxury, since the Verkhovna Rada voted down this bill and has not returned to it. “As president, I want to remind [you] of it, this is an additional source, this is restoring justice,” Poroshenko said. Deputies are urged to return to discussing this issue, he said.
As to the plans of the Economy Ministry to cut the salary taxing fund, “this is the most difficult issue, which remained unresolved following the latest changes in the tax code. Today the idea to merge income tax, a single social payment and a military fee into a single salary tax will be offered for our consideration,” he said.
Poroshenko said he would not sign off on tax reform if it does not foresee the keeping of a single tax for small and middle-size business.
“I think discussion on rates is acceptable but the main aspect of this system is its simplicity in management, and this advantage would be preserved for all groups,” Poroshenko said.
