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Most Traders of Lilo Market On Strike

October 21, 2010
Most part of the traders in Lilo market went on strike. Most shops in the market are either sealed up or closed. The traders said they will not renew trading until tax policy is changed.

“Officials from the tax inspection come here every day and control our activities; after that they fine individual entrepreneurs or seal up their shops. The shops have been intensively sealed up during the recent months. One shop was sealed up today because it could not provide invoice. An official from the tax inspection bought linen of 350 GEL at the linen shop and the trader gave only receipt but did not have invoice. It became the reason of sealing up the shop and fining the individual entrepreneur,” said the traders.

The traders said other shops were sealed up and fined by the same method. Individual entrepreneurs request to estimate fixed payments or discharge them from the remnant on the goods they have imported several years ago.

“They do not have invoice of old goods. It was not obligatory to have invoice when we imported them and new tax policy should not work for the goods which were imported years ago,” said the traders.

Besides that, the protest of the traders resulted into a quarrel. They tried to enter the territory of the Lilo market but the security guards did not allow them to enter. Leaders of the political party National Forum Kakha Shartava and Gubaz Sanikidze arrived at the place.

A member of the National Forum was detained; the journalists were injured. Journalist of the TV-Company “Kavkasia” was beaten and video-camera of the internet TV ITV was broken.

“If the tax policy is not changed, we will change the government,” said the leader of the National Forum Kakha Shartava during his meeting with the traders. He said the government has ordered the tax inspectors to fine the traders; the government initiated the new tax policy which oppresses traders.

“The regime should be changed and the tax policy will also be changed,” said Kakha Shartava. He said nobody was detained among traders; they were only fined because of some shortcomings in tax documents.

The head of the revenue department Giorgi Tskhakaia denied the information about sealing up shops in Lilo market and stated that everybody should act in accordance to the law.

“We have not sealed up shops in Lilo market. According to the law, every person, who sells products, should issue documents. If it is not done, s/he is punished under the law. Our representatives purchase things and carry out various procedures in the market to control the activities of the traders; we will continue similar activities in future too. Our aim is to protect honest tax-payers. When they buy something, they need documents but cannot get it. So, we are entitled to do everything to create equal conditions for everybody.”

Interpresnews

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