/ News
27.01.2023

Prime minister: Tax policy has to stimulate economic growth

MINSK ( BelTA) – The tax policy has to stimulate economic growth. Prime Minister of Belarus Roman Golovchenko made the statement at a session of the Tax and Duties Ministry board, BelTA has learned.

Roman Golovchenko said: “In evaluating the performance of the tax system one should proceed from the main goals specified by the program on the social and economic development of the state in the current five-year term. First and foremost, the tax policy has to stimulate economic growth. It is the key postulate. The policy certainly has to improve, get less complicated and more convenient. Budget revenues should be consolidated primarily without the introduction of new taxes.”

The main tasks the program assigns to taxation bodies include the modernization of the system of tax preferences, their optimization, the reduction of the overall tax burden, the creation of a system for smart data processing and tax administration automation. “The ministry has organized the relevant work in practically all these areas. The ministry accomplished the main tasks it was supposed to do in 2022. As a result, the tax revenue target was hit. The share of tax revenues in the country's budget remains high and makes up three fourths,” the prime minister said.

In his words, the key task of tax authorities is to ensure the collection of state budget revenues. “They secure the operation of the state, ensure social guarantees and the necessary infrastructure for the quality of life of our citizens. The economy has to work so that tax bodies could do their job and collect taxes. And the role of tax bodies in forming a comfortable business environment is rather large. Particularly amid current unprecedented sanctions-fuelled pressure,” the head of government stressed.