Rustam Ibraghimbekov: Authorities use Criminal Methods and are Disgraced in the Whole World

An investigation was launched against the Cinematographers' Union headed by the playwright Rustam Ibraghimbekov on charges of tax evasion to the tune of about 30 thousand manats.

The Taxes Ministry does not comment on this, but the head of the Union, the famous writer Rustam Ibraghimbekov, explained the issue to Turan.  It is a financial instrument of the festival "East-West", which was held in September 2009. At the time, the Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Taxes checked all the documents and found out that everything was in order. However, the day before tax officers suddenly decided to check everything again, although they can only check the documents for the last 3 years.

The essence of the claim is that of the 330 thousand manats spent on the festival, VAT from 30 manat was not paid. However, the Ministry of Culture is to pay VAT, and not the Union of Cinematographers.

"We did not refuse to address this issue and began negotiations with the Ministry of Culture. All this was set out, and the checks were satisfied. They agreed with our position and left," said Ibraghimbekov.  But the next day, the case was referred to the Department of Investigation of the Taxes Ministry, and charged with embezzlement was Lala Efendiyeva, who is in charge of the festival. Moreover, this was done in a very "wild form." Tax officers came to the house of her mother and began to break the door.  When she appeared, the tax officer stated that the head of the company, which provided transportation services to the festival, was convicted of fraud, and he argued that the documents on providing buses and cars to the festival in 2009 was fictional.

Based on this, the Taxes accused Efendiyeva of embezzlement and took her on her own recognizance, said Ibraghimbekov.

On the question, what the Union intends to do, the playwright said that he appealed to all the guests and participants to confirm that they were taken in buses and cars, that these services were not free and actually took place.

"It is easy to prove it all, but it's hard to imagine the degree of idiocy and meanness of people who organized it all. They will do just for what the country will again be shamed to the world,” said the playwright.

When asked what caused this pressure, Ibraghimbekov said it was the authorities' response to the message a new political organization will be set up with its participation together with the young.

"They want to scare us into abandoning our position. That will never happen! The authorities will achieve only one thing, to prove yet again that they act with criminal methods and live with criminal concepts," he said. -16/02V-