In Albania, the largest organization of industrial Albanian
and foreign businesses, says that it is against the inclusion in the fiscal
amnesty of those businesses that act in conditions of closed markets and lack
of competition. This organization says that it is unfair for foreign
businesses which benefit state privileges in the form of concessions or
public-private partnerships, to be offered fiscal amnesty.
The head of the organization, Gjergj Buxhuku explains why
the tax amnesty proposed by the government is economically damaging for the
country. “Such act has serious long-term consequences for economic development,
wellbeing and dignity of Albanian citizensâ€, he says in relation to foreign
concessionary companies that exploit the natural resources of the country and
several public services.
Buxhuku says that foreign concessionary companies are
expected to be the biggest beneficiaries of the amnesty, with an amount of over
400 million euros. “The amnesty of the financial obligations is unacceptable at
a time when the economic situation in the country is difficult and budget
revenues continue to be low. This amnesty directly benefits concessionary
companies that exploit the country’s resources. This would cause damages for
the economic development and wellbeing of the countryâ€, Buxhuku says.
According to him, it is unacceptable to pardon hundreds of
millions of euros worth of Albanian taxpayers’ money, which will be benefited
by foreign companies that will take currency out of the country from this
amnesty. Konfindustria says that there has been a very weak political and media
reaction “to the unprecedented act of pardoning large amounts of money to
concessionary companies that exploit natural sources of today’s and tomorrow’s
generationsâ€.
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