KYIV. Aug 31 (Interfax-Ukraine) – The tax reform is a top-priority in the current work of the Finance Ministry of Ukraine, Minister Natalie Jaresko has said, reporting on the work of the Cabinet of Ministers last week.
“Demilitarization of the tax police and institutional restructuring of the State Fiscal Service would make tax administration easier and reduce the pressure on responsible and fair businesses,” she said.
She added that tax amendments should stimulate economic growth and change taxation culture in general.
The quick introduction of all international projects that improve infrastructure and create additional jobs is one more top-priority of the ministry.
Jaresko said that among important tasks is the deepening of budget decentralization, increase of budget revenues thanks to fight against smuggling, bringing business out of the shadows, improvement of tax payments, reform of state enterprises, fight against budget infringements and the acceleration of seizure of assets of Yanukovych regime’s officials.
Commenting on the 2016 national budget, the minister said that it should be effective and parsimonious to finance defense and allow developing, as well as support vulnerable people.
Jaresko also announced the launch of a portal on the use of public funds as a first step of the E-Data project from September. The project would disclose information of the State Treasury and all expenses of the central and local authorities.
Among key achievements during her work on the post of the finance minister in the past nine months was the signing of the new four-year $17.5 billion program with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) supported by an additional financing of $7.2 billion, the realistic 2015 budget, the launch of the real budget decentralization and the agreement on restructuring the country’s commercial foreign debt.
