Expert: It is necessary to strengthen public control over tax and customs authorities

Baku/05.04.21/Turan: The Main Directorate for Combatting Corruption disposed with a criminal case concerning an official of the state tax service under the Ministry of Economy, Mahir Abdurahimov charged with deliberate understating and misappropriating taxes and state duties, other illegal actions. Personally and through mediation of other persons he sent messages to 393 taxpayers upon different addresses as informing them that he would promptly and exactly defray their payments. He earned 820, 000 manats spending them for personal needs bypassing the state budget. He provided forged documents to the official resources of his office, according to the General Procurator’s Office of Azerbaijan, April 2.

A total of 62 taxpayers deviated to repay 66, 000 manats to the state tax service under the Ministry of Economy of the Azerbaijan Republic.

A review of criminal reports of the past reveals that on the average each year one or two officials of the state tax service are arrested on criminal charges.

In January 2019 the then inspectors of the Ministry of Taxes, Elchin Gaybaliyev and Ziya Latifov shared a 1000 manats worth bribe from a Baku market "24 hours".

At the same time, a criminal case was opened against inspector Aga Mamedov for 2700 manats worth bribe.

In August 2020 inspectors of the tax service Azer Allahverdiyev and Jahid Tahirov were caught in flagrante on receipt of 6, 000 manats worth bribe from a bakery shop.

There are numerous reports on the struggle of public structures against corruption in Azerbaijan; trainings are held for the state tax service officers (for example, “Anticorruption strategy in Azerbaijan: Looking in the future”). To no avail. The inspectors are arrested. So what happens now?

The head department for investigation of tax crimes of the state tax service shunned replying Turan questions and advised to apply to the media and communications department. However, the called gives no reply (403-87-88).

Insight into a list of departments on the site of the state tax service revealed that 8 out of 21 divisions are led by acting heads.

https://www.taxes.gov.az/az/page/dovlet-vergi-xidmetinin-aparati-qrafik

What is there to talk about discipline?

In an interview to Turan, lawyer, head of the center of social studies Ilgar Altay voiced his opinion on negative cases occurring first at the Ministry of Taxes, then at the state tax service.

"For some time past, the country’s leadership has taken decisive measures to normalize the situation in this structure. Thus, the tax service has radically changed to get into the Ministry of Economy as a tax service. However, despite serious personnel changes and institutional transformations, no desirable results have so far been attained. Nothing has changed: arbitrariness and obstacles put by tax bodies in respect of entrepreneurs, bribes, oppression of businessmen, etc. Complaints, dissatisfaction of entrepreneurs and population, arrests of tax officials on bribery and corruption charges”, noted Ilgar Altay.

To lawyer’s thinking, it is needed to take serious, radical and tough measures to create necessary conditions for free entrepreneurship as a basis for economic and social development. 

“It is necessary to introduce serious amendments in the regulatory and criminal legislation, conduct structural novelties and cadre changes. Also, these bodies cannot be dependent upon local bodies of executive power and law-enforcement structures. Another important aspect of the problem is the organization of strong public control, as well as participation of the public in the work of tax bodies (as is the case in customs). Representatives of civil society and mass media must take part in the work of commissions or bodies fighting against corruption", said the expert. -0